As part of efforts to improve internet accessibility and ICT literacy in rural communities in Ghana, the Hunger Project has partnered BLUETOWN Telecommunications, USAID, and GIFEC to commission an ICT center for the people of Akode in the Okere District of the Eastern Region.
The aim of the project is to increase young women’s economic opportunities by providing reliable internet connectivity and eliminating barriers for women’s digital inclusion in rural and semi-urban communities in the Eastern Region.
Akode, a rural community near Adukrom in the Okere District which is on the same stretch with Adukrom and Asesseso, has over the years recorded a number of robbery cases including the recent killing of the Somanya Ambulance Service driver, Abraham Tetteh.
Aside from concerns about poor security, residents have on a number of occasions pleaded with the government to intervene in the provision of internet and expand mobile telecommunication network to help check crime and boost healthcare delivery.
The faclility is expected to benefit other communities such as Supriso and Addo Nkwanta.
Doris Dede, a resident who spoke to Citi News, could not hide her joy.
“I completed school here in Akode and during our time we did not have a single computer in our school, we had to move to Somanya to do our research and also learn the practical aspects of ICT before we wrote our Basic Education Certificate Exams, and the majority were not able to pass ICT because of this. So I believe with this center students in this area can go and have practical experience on the computers and internet to improve their performance in ICT”.
Samuel Afrane, the Country Director for Hunger Project, in an interview with Citi News after handing over the facility to the community, indicated that this forms part of the Corporate Social Responsibilities of their partners to improve lives in rural communities.
“This is part of activities we also undertake with our partners. We all heard on the news of the unfortunate incident where the ambulance driver was murdered on his way to save a pregnant woman and her baby. Some residents and robbery victims claimed after the incident that, all their efforts to contact the police to foil the attack proved futile due to poor mobile network connectivity, and the absence of these essential services does not only affect the security of the people but health care delivery in the district”.
“This center will improve accessibility to internet and telecommunications here and even the health facility can also use it for diagnosis for clients and also make prompt referrals. I want to urge the community to make good use of this facility and maintain it well”.
Stephanie Ashley, Project Manager for the women’s meaningful access project, explained that whilst residents access information, the provision of computers and the internet will also boost the learning of ICT for students.
“A USAID statistics estimate that more than four billion people in developing countries including Ghana still do not have access to the internet. Women are, on average, 14 percent less likely to own mobile phones than their male counterparts, and 43 percent less likely to engage online. The rapid development and adoption of digital technology are transforming how people worldwide access information, goods, and services, but in Akode, the story is different.”
“Residents struggle to make calls and connect to the internet, but with this center, we know it will go a long way to improve the quality of education in general”.
