As part of its Digital Communities (DCs) initiative, American Tower Corporation (ATC) Ghana has inaugurated an ICT centre at the Ghana Girls Guide in Achimota, Accra.
The internet service provider (ISP) has been actively establishing computer-equipped learning centres in the country. These centres utilise uninterrupted power supply and broadband connections from ATC Ghana’s tower sites, offering access to ICT services and training for basic school pupils and residents in underserved communities.
The DCs, strategically located near basic schools, aim to facilitate teaching and learning by providing the schools easy access to technology. Before 2023, ATC Ghana had established 10 DCs across Ghana. This year, the ISP completed nine additional DCs in locations including Kpembi Salaga, Dromankese, Techimana, Panfokrom, Kojoaba, Bodada, Peki Tsiame, Mangu, and Achimota.
Managed by partners including Ghana Code Club, Africa Right to ICT, Affiliate Schools, and the Ghana Girl Guides Association, these digital communities offer training on basic computer skills, coding, and other programming courses. The recent centre at the Ghana Girls Guide Association National Training Centre in Achimota will serve not only the local area but also beyond.
ATC Ghana’s CEO, Ashutosh Singh, emphasised the significance of the DCs program in developing highly skilled professionals for the telecommunications industry.
“This centre here at the Ghana Girls Guide Association National Training Centre will be available to all the basic schools not just in the Achimota area but beyond. This is important to us because as the leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure to support network connectivity in Ghana, the availability of highly skilled ICT and engineering professionals is key to the sustainability of our operations,” Singh stated.
He continued that the DC’s supporting a digitally driven socio-economic life aligned with the company’s sustainability commitment, while also thanking stakeholders for their support in making the project successful.
Chief Commissioner of the Ghana Girl Guide Association, Zakiya Wahab, expressed excitement at the expected positive impact the facility would have on girls and young women, especially in STEM education and e-learning.
Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, in a speech read on his behalf, commended the partnership, stating that it marked a significant step toward “empowering young children and teens to ensure that they grow up to be productive human beings contributing significantly to the development of this country.” With the DCs also bridging the digital divide and empowering girls across the country through access to ICT education, the Minister added that the “intervention by ATC and the Ghana Girl Guides Association is warmly welcomed by the Ministry of Education.”
The U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia E. Palmer, also present at the commissioning ceremony held in Accra on 28th November, expressed excitement about the project, hoping it would help the youth build digital skills. The initiative aligns with the government’s vision for digitalising various aspects of the Ghanaian economy under its Digital Ghana Agenda.
Source: Citi Newsroom
