Ericsson partners Tigo Ghana deliver Millennium Villages project in the north

Accra, May 17, GNA – Ericsson company in partnership with Tigo Ghana are to deploy voice and data network services along with a hybrid power solution, providing mobile network coverage and connectivity in unconnected rural communities in northern Ghana.

The partnership followed Ericsson's announcement of its support for a new Millennium Villages project in Ghana, which aims to bring connectivity to up to 30,000 people in 34 individual villages in West Mamprusi and Builsa districts.

Addressing the press on Thursday in Accra on the partnership, Alan Triggs, Country Manager Ericsson Ghana, said the project comprised the provision of 10 radio network sites, which would be connected to Tigo Ghana's infrastructure to deliver voice and data.

He said Tigo would deliver the services to consumers in the communities on a 3G data platform as is being enjoyed in Accra, the capital, and other cities.

Fifteen schools and five clinics in the two districts will benefit from the data connectivity under the new project, which aims broadly to improve citizen's social and economic well-being and to support efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Acting General Manager of Tigo Ghana, Obafemi Banigbe said his company considered the partnership as an opportunity to further demonstrate to the people of Ghana Tigo's accessible, affordable and reliable mobile and internet services.

“This partnership will enable the people in the communities to communicate better, enhance their quality of life and offer to them an educational opportunity,” he said.

Mr Amadou Niang, Director of the Millennium Villages Project for West and Central Africa, said the about 21 million dollars -five-year project, had a model of financing that required contributions from various participants including community members. The UK Department for International Development (DfID) is a major donor.

He said the elements of ICT had now been integrated into the Millennium Villages project. The Millennium Villages project is a partnership between the Earth Institute, Millennium Promise and UNOPS working with over 500,000 in ten African countries to achieve the MDGs.

A release made available at the press briefing says a recent World Bank report had shown that though Ghana had succeeded in reducing the national rate of poverty and is well on course to achieve the MDGs on halving poverty by 2015, the northern part of the country is bucking the national trend.

GNA