Communications Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah has commissioned five Community Information Centres in the Upper West and East regions.
He inaugurated the enhanced community information centres (eCICs) at Nandom, Wellembele and Lassie Tuolu, all in the Upper West region on Wednesday and Pusiga and Talensi in the Upper East region on Thursday.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at Lassie Tuolu, Dr. Omane Boamah said the project there was the 11th he had inaugurated. They facilities are 21 and dotted across the country.
He said the mandate of the Communications Ministry “is driven by the four pillars of Government’s development agenda outlined by President John Dramani Mahama which focus on Putting People First, Strong Economy and job creation, Expanding Infrastructure for growth and last but not least Transparent and Accountable Governance. These four pillars are translating into President Mahama’s objectives set out as Changing Lives! Transforming Ghana!!.”
“Beyond the completion of 21 eCICs within one year, the Ministry of Communications has deployed 4th Generation Networks across the country to enhance effective communications among MDAs and improve their operations and services to general public. The National Data Centre is also being constructed to provide one single shared computing and storage platform for all MDAs and the private sector,” he told people of the Lassie Tuolu community.
He said the Eastern Corridor Fibre Optic Backbone Project, commissioned not too long ago by President John Mahama, will serve 120 communities and create jobs for the youth along that corridor.
“Some of the beneficiary towns are Ho, Kpando, Jasikan, Nkwanta, Gushegu, Yendi, Bimbila, Tamale and Bawku. This facility will complement the infrastructure needs of ICT/Telecom service providers to offer Value Added Services and better coverage for the citizens in these communities,” he explained.
The minister said, “Government has commenced the process to migrate Ghana from analogue to an energy efficient Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in line with International standards. The completion of the digital broadcasting migration process will lead to improved channel choice, crystal clear pictures and quality sound for consumers.”
“This project is expected to be completed by March 2016. Once the project is completed all those who use analogue TVs will have to secure Set-Top-Boxes (STB) which have NCA approved logo affixed on them to be able to receive all the digital signals,” he added.
Dr. Omane Boamah told the people of Nandom when he commissioned the CIC there that “government is constructing an US$ 8million Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Centre near the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange. The BPO Centre has the potential to create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs for the youth of Ghana. Through this eCIC in Lassie Tuolu, and many others across the country we are hopeful the second phase of Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) adoption and adaptation programme which seeks to diffuse IT Enabled services to the districts will be successful not only because it will create jobs for our youth in the districts but also because the requisite human resource will be available to ensure smooth take-off. The added advantage is also to minimise rural-urban migration.”
He said the “funding of this eCIC is from a value for money audit conducted on the eGovernment Platform project being funded by a loan from the China EXIM Bank. The project contractor is Huawei Technologies Limited. This project also took into consideration local content. It is obvious the savings made has been astutely applied. I commend Huawei Technologies for the timely delivery of the work packages under the project. Long live Ghana-China relations.”
The eCIC is an inclusive solution with all the IT equipment – switch rack, router, server, computers, UPS, photocopier machine, printer, television, air conditioners, tables and chairs.
The Minister said, “this facility has been sited here to enable students and school pupils within this community to register for and access their examination results. Our farmers and traders can also take the opportunity to market their farm produce and goods and also obtain a firsthand information regarding issues happening in other parts of the world. Chiefs and the general public can, and I dare say, must also acquire new ICT skills through this eCIC.”
The chief of Nandom, Naa Dr. Charles Pouree Poubi Chiir VII lauded government for the facility.
He was convinced the people of the area will reward the president with votes in next year’s ballot.
