By Ernest KISSIEDU
As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, the MTN Ghana Foundation has presented modern equipment worth over GHS217,000 to the Assistive Technology Unit of the University of Ghana.
The equipment include a Prodigy Desktop, a Sara Scanner, a Projector, a Projector Screen, three Handheld Magnifiers, an SMA for Jaws, three External Hard Drives, a Braille Printer, five Laptops, a Laser Jet and 15 Computers.
Being the first of its kind in the country, the Assistive Technology Unit is expected to create the opportunity for students with various challenges to study with ease. In addition, it will also promote independence for the over 2,000 students with special needs and decrease their quest for special assistance in pursuing their studies.
At a handing over ceremony in Accra last Thursday, acting Corporate Services Executive for the MTN Foundation, Samuel Koranteng, described education as one of the critical areas of Ghana’s socio-economic development agenda.
Therefore, “…The MTN Ghana Foundation has over the years invested in projects aimed at developing the sector. It has implemented over 80 educational projects across the country.
“These include constructing school blocks, renovating and furnishing school blocks, libraries and providing valuable connections through ICT as well as initiating teacher empowerment programmes to enhance education.”
According to Koranteng, the Foundation believes that it is an inherent right of every Ghanaian to have access to education, adding that they are happy to be giving more Ghanaians the chance to a better education.
The Foundation is celebrating its anniversary under the theme, “Celebrating Ten Years Of Brightening Lives, Inspiring A Brighter Future.”
Koranteng said the theme highlights the Foundation’s role in bringing the best of sustainable projects to both rural and urban people; as well as the commitment to do more. “In the space of 10 years, the Foundation has implemented over 142 projects in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment at the total cost of over USD$13.3 million. These projects have impacted over 4million people in Ghana,” he noted.
Speaking on behalf of the Registrar of the University of Ghana, Emmanuel Baidoo observed that the significance of information technology in the life of any individual with disability in today’s world cannot be over-emphasized.
“It has come to serve as a major gap-bridging tool between persons with disability and the non-disabled persons,” he said.
Today, persons with disability are able to make use of various forms of technological interventions to enable the individual accomplish tasks – from basic to complex – with the aid of the Assistive Technology.
