At least 3,000 basic school girls across the country have benefitted from Information Communication Technology (ICT) over the last four years, Mr Yahaya Nasamu Yunusa, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), American Tower Corporation (ATC), has stated.
He said the programme, which started in 2018 to date and organised by the ATC in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, seeks to create awareness on the need for more women in the ICT sector.
He said this at a media discussion with ATC Ghana, operators of wireless infrastructure and Stratcomm Africa, a communication management agency, in Accra yesterday.
The meeting was to sensitise the media on the activities of ATC Ghana in the country.
Mr Yunusa stated that every year, over 80 basic school girls of all ages were invited to ATC Ghana offices for mentorship and work shadowing.
He assured of the company’s dedication to support the telecommunication industry to enable its growth in line with government’s digital expansion and inclusion.
Mr Yunusa expressed worry over theft involving batteries and siphoning of fuel at their sites, adding that that such practices affected their operations and the telecommunication industry.
“These thefts should be a national concern to all of us since it affects the telecommunication industries in the country,” he added.
He commended the media for their dedication to duty and assured them of their partnership to help in ensuring national development.
Mr Yunusa stated that to combat climate change and protect the environment, the America Tower globally was focused on reducing its environmental impact and was working to lower its greenhouse gas emission by investing in energy renewables.
“ATC Ghana is deploying solar equipment to provide backup power to reduce the carbon emissions at sites,” he added.
Touching on ways to address the theft at various sites of telecommunications, the Head of Legal at ATC, Ms Enid Kanor, said the company had installed cameras and electronic access to such sites.
She appealed to the judiciary to fast track cases involving theft cases in communications to serve as deterrent to others.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stratcomm Africa, Ms Esther Cobbah, in her remarks, stressed the need for media collaboration with organisations in the country.
She said the continuous engagement with the media would help them become abreast of issues to well inform the public.
BY ANITA NYARKO YIRENKYI
