Industry News

Out of over 1,500 students who applied, only 200 were selected after a rigorous interview process involving 400 shortlisted candidates

MTN Ghana Foundation awarded scholarships to 200 students across the country as part of its MTN Bright Scholarship Reloaded initiative, in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 and 10 which focus on quality education and reduced inequalities.

The event, held on Friday (20 September) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was attended by key stakeholders, including awardees, their parents and guardians, and representatives of various universities among others.

Judges

One of the panellists Dr. Godwin Osabutey shared insights into the selection process, explaining the fairness and inclusivity that guided the award of the scholarships.

He highlighted that out of over 1,500 students who applied, only 200 were selected after a rigorous interview process involving 400 shortlisted candidates.

“We ensured that all 16 regions of Ghana were represented, and we made sure universities from across the country were fairly represented. Additionally, we focused on various disciplines including ICT, Engineering, Computer Science, and Humanities,” Dr. Osabutey explained.

He further emphasized the importance of diversity, saying, “We ensured a fair representation of gender and students who are differently abled among the selected awardees.”

MTN Foundation

Mr. Robert Kuzo, Head of the MTN Ghana Foundation expressed the organisation’s commitment to bridging the gap in access to education, noting the role education plays in poverty reduction and national development.

“We are thrilled to award scholarships to 200 students who aspire to change their fortunes through higher education. Education breaks barriers, promotes innovation, and enables individuals to contribute to society,” he stated.

Launched in 2018, MTN Bright Scholarship has since supported over 520 students by covering tuition, accommodation, stipends, and laptops to enable them to complete their education.

Kuzo also highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to inclusivity, pointing out that 20 of the 200 students awarded this year are differently-abled, adding that this demonstrates MTN’s commitment to diversity.

“MTN Ghana Foundation continues to invest in education because educating the people in the communities we operate in can bridge the poverty gap and foster innovation,” he said.

Beneficiaries

For Agnes Adabre, a mother from Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, the journey to higher education for her daughter, Gival, seemed like an uphill battle. The family faced significant financial challenges When Gival was admitted to the University for Development Studies (UDS) at the Navrongo campus.

“We were just wondering what we were going to do,” Agnes recalled, reflecting on the difficult time when they worried about how they would afford her daughter’s education.

The financial strain threatened to derail Gival’s dream of pursuing a degree.

“[But] thanks to MTN Ghana Foundation, Gival is now studying without any impediment. I want to thank MTN Ghana Foundation for this kind gesture. They have allowed my daughter to focus on her studies and secure a brighter future”, Agnes shared with deep gratitude.

Source: asaaseradio.com

The tool is designed to help telco organizations adopt and measure responsible and ethical approaches to AI as the industry looks to access an estimated $680 billion market opportunity

The GSMA launches the first industry-wide Responsible AI Maturity Roadmap to provide telecoms operators with the tools and guidance to test and assess their responsible use of the technology.

Recognizing that the overall opportunity derived from the expanded use of AI within the telecoms sector is estimated by McKinsey to be as high as $680 billion over the next 15-20 years, the GSMA is uniting the industry in using the technology ethically and responsibly – the first time a whole sector has committed to a common approach to AI.

The roadmap, developed based on insights by McKinsey and a group of operators, will allow telecoms organizations to assess where they currently stand in terms of their existing maturity in using AI responsibly against where they want to go, i.e. their ambitions and needs. It then provides clear guidance and measurement tools to help fulfil those ambitions, while ensuring industry-wide best practice in the responsible use of the technology.

Its development follows the well-established commitments of many mobile network operators (MNOs) to ensure the exploration and integration of AI within their work has been and is done in ethical and responsible ways.

Following extensive industry consultation, the GSMA has taken these approaches and combined them with existing global regulations, recommendations and standards from international organisations including the OECD, and the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI to create a roadmap for the whole industry to align on the use of RAI.

This initiative has been championed by Axiata, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Telstra. Nineteen MNOs have already committed to using the roadmap as a way of tracking, maintaining and improving their responsible use of AI. Full details of all the MNOs already using it are available in the notes to editors.

Best-practice principles

The RAI Maturity Roadmap is underpinned by five core underlying dimensions: the vision, values and strategic goals of an organization; its operating model and how to maintain AI governance across all operations; technical controls aligned with regulatory requirements; collaboration with third-party ecosystems; as well as corporate change management and communication strategies.

For each of these dimensions, the roadmap will guide organisations to take the appropriate steps to use AI responsibly relative to their level of maturity.

It also builds on well-established best-practice principles, including: fairness; human agency and oversight; privacy and security; safety and robustness; transparency; accountability; and environmental impact.

By providing greater clarity and a common approach to the responsible use of AI, the GSMA’s industry roadmap will give MNOs the confidence to commit to its adoption in the knowledge they are doing so in established, agreed and ethical ways, and therefore unlock the technology’s full value more quickly.

Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, said: “The transformative potential of AI has long been apparent but its integration in our work and our lives must be done in a responsible and transparent way for it to be truly effective and sustainable. This roadmap will now empower more MNOs to embrace AI in the knowledge they, in line with the whole sector, are doing so responsibly and ethically.

“Responsible AI is the right way to explore and unlock the many opportunities the technology presents, and the telecoms industry is proud to lead the way as the first sector to commit to this approach – we hope others will follow our example”.

José María Álvarez-Pallete López, GSMA Board Chair and Chairman & CEO of Telefónica, said: “The speed with which AI has now become a central part of tech and telecoms operations demonstrates its power and undoubted value, but also the risks we must consider as an industry and the need to include ethics at the heart of AI to prevent its uncontrolled development. It is crucial for us all to ensure responsible guidelines for the use of AI are implemented now, and it is great to see the telecoms industry leading the way on this with the GSMA’s new roadmap”.

Source: GSMA

The EMIs Chamber of Ghana has announced the election of Philip Amoateng, Director of Telecel Cash, as its new Chairman, and Ebo Richardson, Managing Director of G-Money, as its Vice Chairman. This leadership election marks a significant milestone in the new Chamber’s history as it commits to driving innovation and collaboration within the digital finance sector in Ghana.

The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman will serve until the end of 2024, when new elections will  be held to determine the new leaders of the EMIs Chamber of Ghana for 2025.

The Chamber was officially registered on March 26, 2024, with a vision to become the leading catalyst for inclusive and innovative digital finance in Ghana. The Chamber’s mission meanwhile, is to foster innovation, enhance regulatory collaboration, and support the growth and sustainability of the digital finance sector.

By representing the unified voice of Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem, the Chamber aims to create a thriving and inclusive financial landscape that benefits all Ghanaians.

Membership

The EMIs Chamber of Ghana proudly represents leading digital finance entities, including AT Money, G-Money, Mobile Money Limited, Telecel Cash, and Zeepay Mobile Money.

Goals and Objectives

The EMIs Chamber aims to:

1. Foster Innovation: By encouraging the development and adoption of new technologies and solutions that enhance the efficiency and reach of digital finance services.
2. Enhance Regulatory Collaboration: Working closely with government agencies, regulators, and other stakeholders to create a favorable operating environment for digital finance operators.
3. Support Growth and Sustainability: Advocating for policies and practices that ensure the long-term success and stability of the digital finance sector.
4. Promote Financial Inclusion: Facilitating partnerships and collaborations among different mobile money operators to extend financial services to underserved and unbanked populations in Ghana.

Looking Ahead

Under the leadership of Philip Amoateng and Ebo Richardson, the EMIs Chamber is poised to make significant strides in advancing the digital finance landscape in Ghana. The Chamber remains dedicated to its mission of creating a dynamic and inclusive financial ecosystem that benefits all citizens.

About EMIs Chamber of Ghana
The EMIs Chamber is the unified voice for Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem, representing leading entities such as AT Money, G-Money, Mobile Money Limited, Telecel Cash, and Zeepay Mobile Money. The Chamber is committed to fostering innovation, enhancing regulatory collaboration, and supporting the growth and sustainability of the digital finance sector in Ghana.

Source: Chamber News Desk

Growing up, Delali was always fascinated by how devices functioned. She sometimes opened the housing of her guardian’s radio set and torchlight to figure out how they worked and reassembled them. The 12-year-old’s curiosity about the design and function of electronics has evolved into a dream to pursue creative design thinking as a career.

“I really love electronic appliances and enjoy looking deeper into what’s inside gadgets like watches and other appliances. I’m a creative person. I really like doing creative stuff and I’m interested in electronics,” the second-year junior high student of Nungua Methodist 1 Basic School, added.

Delali is one of 50 participants from the New Life Orphanage, Nungua and Osu Children’s Home who received practical Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) training that exposed them to experiments in robotics, programming, web design and arts, as part of Telecel Ghana Foundation’s Grow Girls in STEM initiative.

Brighter future

Hosted at the state-of-the-art STEAM Centre on the premises of the Accra Senior High School in collaboration with Asutem Robotics, the Telecel Ghana Foundation’s Grow Girls in STEM project is aimed at empowering and training young girls to explore and excel in STEM fields to compete in a world increasingly driven by technology and innovation. Since its inception in August 2023, over 150 young girls have received STEM empowerment and training in Accra and Takoradi.

After interacting with the young participants who were in different breakout sessions, Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Head of Foundation, Sustainability and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, said, “We believe the future of STEM is brighter with a diverse range of brilliant minds. That’s why we’re proud that our Grow Girls in STEM initiative is empowering young girls to explore their passion for science, technology, engineering, arts and math, a critical step to becoming the next generation of innovators who will create solutions.”

Two heads are better than one

In the STEM workshop, Delali and her teammates are busy creating their own visual story using Scratch, a simple programming software for producing interactive stories, games, and animations. She calls out to the programming instructor to help with any difficulties that arise as they use the software.

“I found it easy and fun to move the sprites from left to right. It is a very educative and important skill. I also learnt about teamwork because two heads are better than one. It’s better that a group of people come together to learn because it’s much easier than when only you are doing it.”

Source: Telecel

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), H.E John Dramani Mahama has called on road contractors and all Ghanaians to protect the fibre of telecommunication companies across the country.

He made the strong appeal during a recent media engagement in Accra. In response to a question on what his administration will do to ensure internet stability, following the events of March 14, 2024, the former president, called for extra care to protect the fibre that is laid underground and on poles across the country by telecommunication companies.

“We even have domestic fibre cuts. When they are doing road construction, they cuts the fibre links. And so we also must be careful how we protect the fibre that we have.”

His remarks come on the back of a recent engagement with the leadership of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) and its sister outfit the EMIs Chamber of Ghana. During that meeting, the two Chambers called for increased attention and support for the telecommunications industry as well as the digital payments ecosystem.

Industry loses over GHS 80 million due to fibre cuts

A look at the alarming statistics in relation to fibre optic cable cuts in 2023, show that 6,232 cuts were recorded during the year under review, resulting in substantial financial losses.

The cost of repairs amounted to USD 6,443,115.18, or GHS 84,087,990.44, with an average repair cost of USD 29,276.42 or GHS 382,492.61.

Several factors were identified as major causes of cable cuts in Ghana in 2023. These were road construction, theft, vandalism, drainage construction, private developer activities, and natural disasters. Additionally, operational works by other utility companies, such as Ghana Water and the Electricity Company of Ghana, were identified as key contributors to fibre cuts across the country.

Telecommunications and EMIs Chamber’s engage NDC flagbearer on the Telecoms Manifesto

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) and its sister outfit the EMIs Chamber of Ghana have called for increased attention and support for the telecommunications industry as well as the digital payments ecosystem.

The calls were made during an engagement session between leadership of the two Chambers and the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and his team on Monday, June 3, 2024, in Accra, at the secretariat of the two Chambers. The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications was led by its Chairman, the CEO of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, Acting CEO of AT, Leo Skarlatos, , CEO of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, the Managing Director at Helios Towers Ghana, Angelo Govina and Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey the CEO of both Chambers.

The EMIs Chamber of Ghana was on the other hand led by founding chairman of the Chamber, Philip Amoateng, the Director for Telecel Cash, the Acting Managing Director of AT Money, Mohammed Alhassan, CEO of Mobile Money Limited, Shaibu Haruna, Edem Kpodo, the Operations Lead at G-Money and other representatives.

On the NDC side, Former President and flagbearer for the NDC, H.E John Dramani Mahama joined the two Chamber’s with the Honourable Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George and other team members.

The meeting which lasted about 2 hours, touched on key issues and challenges affecting members of both the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and the EMIs Chamber of Ghana.

For the GCT, the following key issues were discussed;

1. A conducive and supportive policy and regulatory environment
2. An enabling tax regime
3. Protection for industry infrastructure
4. Cost of doing business and ease of doing business
5. Indebtedness to industry
6. Sustainable promotion of local content among others

Issues discussed for the EMIs Chamber meanwhile included;

1. Repeal of the E-Levy law
2. Facilitating cross-border payments
3. Driving digital payments for People to Government as well as merchant payments
4. Enabling policy and regulatory environment
5. Cost and ease of access to the Ghana card database among others

The meeting forms part of efforts of the two Chambers, to share their key issues with all parties ahead of the December 7 elections, with the hope that the issues are captured in their respective manifestos and implemented once they come into power.

The Flagbearer, H.E John Dramani Mahama gave his vision for the sector which he had played active roles in over the past 3 decades as Deputy Minister, Minister and even as Vice President and President. He assured members that all the issues raised in the Telecoms Manifesto and at the meeting would be dealt with, working in close collaboration with members of both Chambers.

Source: Chamber News Desk