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Communication Ministry Observe World Telecommunication and Information Society Day [press release]
[May 19, 2014]

Communication Ministry Observe World Telecommunication and Information Society Day [press release]


(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The Minister for Communications, Dr. Edward Omani Boamah has announced that the Ghana Internet Service Providers Association in May 2013 confirmed that 45 per cent of Ghana's Internet traffic was currently being handled locally through the existing Internet Exchange Point.



According to him with the arrival and introduction of additional switches the percentage would improve and more opportunities would emerge to promote local content development.

The Minister made this known at the celebration of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day held in Accra on the theme, "broadband for Sustainable Development".


Dr. Omani Boamah said the National Primary Data Centre project was already in service and all 23 ministries along with about 75 other agencies and all Regional Co-ordinating Councils had been connected to the Network and Data Centre.

He stated that developments in the telecommunication landscape had greatly improved the performance of all sectors of the economy and enhanced national cohesion and entrepreneurial development with citizen empowerment.

He noted that according to the 2014 budget statement, the services sector grew by 9.2 per cent in 2013 and Information Communication Technology (ICT) dominated by contributing 24.7% to that impressive growth.

The Minister stated that presently Ghana was served by five submarine cables: SAT-3, Main One, Glo-1, WACS and ACE (the Africa Coast to Europe) submarine cable system.

Government he said had released funds for the construction of 21 more Community Information Centres in Glefe, Pantang, Bortianor Ngleshie-Amanfro, Asuogyaman, Akyemansa, Techiman, Krobo, Drobonso, Twifo Atti - Morkwa, Bodi, Keta, Pusiga, Nandom, Lambussie, Sagnarigu, among other towns.

The Deputy Director for Consumer and Corporate Affairs Division of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Mr Mawuko Zomerlo said the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day was an initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) observed annually in May to mark the anniversary of the signature of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865 which led to the creation of the ITU.

The Deputy Director stated that the Day was also born out of a global need by member countries of the United Nations (UN) to raise global awareness of changes in society that have been endangered by the internet and new technologies and also work towards bridging the global digital divide that separate the rich countries from poor countries.

In a message read on his behalf by the UN Resident Co-ordinator for Ghana, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon observed that this year's World Telecommunication and Information Society Day focused on leveraging information and communication technologies to help advance sustainable development.

Ban Ki-moon noted that broadband connectivity was a transformative tool to achieve the three pillars of sustainable development which are economic growth, social inclusion and environmental balance.

Copyright Government of Ghana. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

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