The Digital Community Facility in Bawku, which is the first to be established by ATC Ghana in the Upper East Region, will serve both pupils and residents of the Municipality.
Digital Communities are learning centres that use the uninterrupted electrical power and internet connectivity from ATC’s tower sites to provide free ICT learning in the communities we serve.
This year, ATC Ghana has rolled out Digital Communities at four locations namely Bawku in the Upper East Region, Akontombra in the Western North Region, Berekum in the Ahafo Region and Asuom in the Eastern Region.
The four new Digital Communities add up to the six facilities already operating at Jamasi in the Ashanti Region, Savelugu in the Northern Region, Tarkwa in the Western Region, Bawdua in the Eastern Region, Makola in the Greater Accra Region and Battor in the Volta Region.
American Tower Corporation, ATC Ghana’s parent company, is a leading owner and operator of communications sites for the wireless and broadcast industries.
ATC Ghana is the leading tower company in Ghana, and also the largest with over 3,900 communications sites across the country.
Mr Yahaya Yunusa, Chief Executive Officer, ATC Ghana Limited, in his address at the launch in Bawku said ATC’s global solutions include over 214,000 towers, 2,000 managed rooftops, in-building and outdoor DAS (Distributed Antenna System) networks, and a suite of services that speed network deployment.
“Our global sustainability initiatives focus heavily on education, particularly digital literacy, where wesupport underserved and unserved students, schools and communities by leveraging technology to improve their access to quality education,” he said.
He noted that through their Digital Communities, which was their flagship digital inclusion programme, they were deploying fully equipped ICT education centres throughout Ghana to create digitally empowered communities where users could learn without barriers.
He said in conjunction with key partners such as Africa ICT Right and Ghana Code Club, ATC Ghana seeks to provide ICT skills and entrepreneurial training to the youth to equip them with the right skill-sets to broaden their career prospects in an increasingly connected and interconnected world, either by increasing their employability or though entrepreneurship.
Mr Yunusa said the Digital Communities project was also in line with the Government of Ghana’s vision to digitalise all aspects of the Ghanaian economy under its Digital Ghana Agenda.
“We, at ATC Ghana, are proud to play a role in supporting Government’s vision of an inclusive digital economy while encouraging the aspirations of the many brilliant young people across the length and breadth of this country,” Mr Yunusa said.
“At ATC Ghana, we believe that supporting education by leveraging on technology as part of our sustainability goals is the right thing to do and we take great pride in how our organization demonstrates its commitment to the communities where we operate.
“We know that the Digital Communities are truly a great way of giving back to our society and thank you all once again for your generous support and contributions toward this launch here in this community.”
Madam Letitia Asiedu-Attafuah, Head of Human Resources, ATC Tower Ghana, said as a technology focused Company, ATC Ghana was very invested in ensuring equal access to quality ICT education to everyone and young people in particular.
Mr Abubakar Iddrisu Bawa, Presiding Member, Bawku Municipal Assembly, said the Facility was not only for the benefit of the pupils, and that the teachers would equally use it to upgrade their ICT knowledge.
Mr Azariya Ayariga, Bawku Municipal Director of Education, in a speech read on his behalf, urged the staff to ensure proper maintenance of the Facility.
Naba Yussif, Seid Nab, who chaired the function, expressed gratitude to ATC Ghana for the kind gesture.
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