Parliament advocates rlg plant expansion

Parliament has commenced what is likely to be a sustained advocacy for the expansion of training and assembling facilities by the Africa's only indigenous owned ICT assembling firm, rlg Communications.

A visiting parliamentary delegation who toured the company's installations in Accra got overwhelmed by preparations already made to position it as the continent's leading ICT assembling entity, the creation of more jobs and increasing access to ICT education and training.

The leadership of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism toured the rlg Institute of Technology where they learnt at first hand the processes of administering the ICT Module under the National Youth Employment Programme, which rlg implements on behalf of government.

They also visited company's main assembling plant where they familiarized themselves with the assembling of personal computers, laptops, mobile phones and accessories.

The law-makers had earlier visited the showroom and laboratories of rlg.

The Committee was at rlg to acquaint themselves with operations and learn of their challenges and prospects.

They are expected to make formal recommendations to Parliament.

Both the Committee's Chairman and MP for Abokobi-Madina, Alhaji Amadu Sorogho, and the ranking member and MP for Subin, Ambassador Isaac Osei commended rlg for the giant step towards revolutionalising ICT on the continent in general and the sub-region as a whole.

They cited the impressive number of young people who have been beneficiaries of the ICT module under the NYEP, the ongoing ICT project for persons with disability across the country as well as other interventions which have them skill-oriented and productive.

They however challenged the company to expand to ensure many more youth are granted access to reduce the unemployment figures in the country.

The MPs said an urgent expansion of the company's assembling plant will facilitate rlg's readiness to “see beyond the borders of Ghana and increase substantially the production of the two flagship products, rlg laptops and the rlg phones”.

The Chief Executive of rlg, Roland Agambire told the parliamentary delegation their visit has humbled him and that he feels more challenged to do more to improve the country's economy while assisting to fight youth unemployment through skill acquisition.

“I wish to assure the honourable members that my dream to create one million jobs is still alive and on course. But its total realization will require the support of your good selves as legislators, government and indeed every Ghanaian”.

Rlg began operations in Ghana ten years ago and has expanded to the Gambia, Nigeria and China.

The company is expected to increase its presence in more West African countries by the end of the year.