Accra, Oct. 31, GNA - An International team of consultants from IBM's Corporate Service Corps (CSC) programme, has assisted five Ghanaian institutions in the private and public sectors on various projects aim at enhancing efficiency in the work place and stimulating economic development in the Western Region.

The team made up of 11 employees, spent one-month working on pro bono basis on projects aim at bridging the digital divide between rural and urban areas and to help accelerate the pace of adoption of Information and Communication Technology.

Beneficiary institutions were Ghana Tourist Board, the Takoradi Technical Institute, the National Board for Small Scale Industries, the Association of Ghana Industries and CDC Development Solutions on projects

Mr Joe Mensah, Country General Manager, IBM Ghana, said during a press briefing by the team on their activities in Takoradi that the assistance provided by the team was a demonstration of IBM's desire to help to develop expertise to the benefit of local communities. "In bringing the Corporate Service Corps Programme to Ghana, we are able to offer our wealth of skills and experience to benefit local communities so that they can grow, prosper and compete in a global economy."

The team that worked at the Ghana Tourist Board in Takoradi helped to developed a training programme to assist teachers in delivering computer training courses to improve efficiency of office work and to create skills to maintain GTB's regional website for Western Ghana and also developed a system for analyzing trends in the tourism market in the Western region.

The consultants at the Takoradi Technical Institute recommended the use of open source technologies for the creation of a new student information system to enable the institute to effectively manage and communicate important information including contact details, basic health information, student and course schedules, report cards, attendance records, among others.

They also provided the necessary training in open source content management technologies for ICT staff at the Institute. At the Western Regional Chamber of Commerce (WRCCI), the team developed a business plan to help the newly established Western cooperative Credit Union to provide financing for small and medium sized enterprises in the Western Region.

The consultants also came out with business strategy to enable the Union to differentiate on the market place, increase membership and launch new products and services.

The team advised the National Board of Small Scale Industries on how to assist local enterprises in the Western Region with advice on business opportunities in the emerging oil and gas industry. They also developed a training course for business advisory centres to enable them to train their members about the Oil and Gas industry and related business opportunities.

The team that worked with the Association of Ghana Industries advised on the establishment of an Oil and Gas Centre in Takoradi to help support the growth and development of Ghana's oil and gas industry and also a business plan for the Centre.

Heads of the beneficiary institutions were full of praise for the work done in the relatively short period of one month, saying the team had made profound impact on the region through offering their highly valued skills to help and to transfer knowledge to small businesses. "IBM's Corporate Service Corps program is a model for public-private cooperation," Mr Lukman Abdul-Rahim, Executive Directors NBSSI said. The CSC is a global IBM initiative designed to provide small businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations in growth markets with sophisticated business consulting and skills development to help improve local conditions and foster job creation.