Accra, Feb 22, GNA- Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, has charged the newly constituted board of the Ghana Digital Centre Limited to, as a matter of urgency, facilitate the operationalisation of all four Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) across the country.
This is to promote digital innovation in the country and give the Centre a nationwide reach.
“Chairman and members of the Board, your immediate task, therefore, will be to oversee the successful operationalisation of Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) across the country to promote digital innovation and give the GDCL a nationwide reach in the process,” she urged.
The Minister gave the task when she sworn in a nine-member governing board to stir the affairs of the Centre, in Accra, on Tuesday.
The board, made up of stakeholders in the sector and IT experts, is chaired by Mr Prince Ofosu Sefah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC).
Other members are; Mr Ernest Kumi, Mr Kojo Amissah, Mr Aloysius Adjetey, Ms Sharon Dede Padi, Mr Kusum Appiah, Mrs Benedicta Fosu-Mensah, Mr Kwadjo Baah-Agyeman and Dr Francis Blay.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said over the last five years, the GDCL had performed creditably, adding that the Company had trained over 15,000 youth in various skills development courses, as well as nurtured over 200 businesses creating 5,000 jobs.
The Company, she stated, had also achieved 100 per cent occupancy in providing office spaces in its affordable real estate and established brand associations with institutions like the World Vision International, MTN Ayo Micro Insurance, VFS Premium Passport Application Centre, Docupro Limited, Government of Ghana’s Info 311 service and Innovaré Limited.
“It is refreshing to note that as the Company prepares to celebrate its fifth (5th) year of establishment, it is poised to extend its physical infrastructure beyond the capital – Accra into other regions around the country with the coming on stream of four Regional Innovation Centres to start with and more to follow.
“I am aware of steps being taken by the Company to expand its Accra office as it continues the search for strategic partnerships and funding to meet the growing demand for prepared affordable real estate in the industry,” she added.
The Minister, while expressing confidence in the board due to their diverse backgrounds, skills and expertise, assured them of the Ministry’s support.
She said: “I, therefore charge you to design and expedite sound policies and strategies with the Management team to enable the GDCL discharge its mandate.”
Mr Sefah, the Board Chair, assured the Minister of the board’s readiness to work hard to attract and retain ICT companies to promote entrepreneurship and digital job creation to accelerate growth and development.
Incorporated in July 2017, the GDCL was established by the Government through the Ministry of Communications to position the country as a regional digital hub.
It is tasked to champion the development and management of Technology Parks and Digital Centres across Ghana to promote ICT-driven economic growth; provide world-class infrastructure and enabling environment to attract and retain ICT and IT-enabled Business Process Outsourcing companies to promote Entrepreneurship and Digital Job Creation for accelerated growth and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship through the provision of platforms for business incubation, business acceleration as well as digital research and development programme.
Others are to provide access to relevant ICT solutions for various sectors of the economy to cater for Ghana’s fast-changing ICT needs, through partnership with the private sector and provide practical digital skills training in partnership with both the public and private sector.
GNA