MTN, Ghana’s leading telecommunications company, on Thursday congratulated women for their invaluable contributions to national development on the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day.

A statement issued by Mrs Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Services Executive, said MTN recognised the important role women played in all aspects of the country’s development including the private sector development.

The telecommunications giant is, therefore, joining the global community to acknowledge the immense contribution of women in all sectors of society.

“On the occasion of the celebration of this special day, MTN takes the opportunity to show the appreciation of the network for the role of Ghanaian women, especially, and assure them of the company’s commitment to support national efforts to improve the livelihood and well-being of women across the country,” Mrs Lumor said.

She referred to the theme for this year’s celebration in Ghana, “Connecting Girls; Inspiring Futures, Reducing Rural Poverty,” and said that it was important for society to focus attention on the development of young girls since nurturing them to become good citizens would impact positively on national development.

Mrs Lumor said it was for this reason that MTN marked the day last year with the initiation of a mentoring programme for selected Senior High School girls across the country to inculcate in them the value of education and pursuing their goals in life.

“Our mentoring programme provides female students the opportunity to interact with successful women in senior management positions who share their success stories with them and encourage them to aspire to greater heights in education and achieve successes in their chosen professions in future," Mrs. Lumor said.

“We salute all women in Ghana on this special occasion. We at MTN Ghana say Ayekoo to Ghanaian women for their relentless efforts at nurturing mother Ghana,” she added.

International Women’s Day is marked globally every year to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women and to draw attention to the numerous challenges that women face globally.

MTN has since it began operations in Ghana, invested in many projects in the health and educational sectors that have an impact on the growth and development of women and girls throughout the country.

Some of the projects, undertaken through the company’s MTN Ghana Foundation, include the refurbishment of the Maternity Ward of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, construction of an intensive care unit at the Princess Marie Louise Children Hospital and the donation of ultrasound machine, computers, haemoglobinometers and others to the Shama District Health Directorate in support of Pregnancy Register and Handing-Over System.

The Foundation has also donated incubators to the Atibie Government Hospital and recently, the Neo Natal Intensive Unit of KNUST Hospital. Currently, the Foundation is refurbishing the maternity ward of Effia Nkwanta Hospital.

MTN said these investments to a large extent were reducing infant and maternal mortality rates and contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal in the area of quality health care delivery.

It said in the area of education it had spent over GH¢4,000,000 in the provision of education facilities such as classroom blocks and teaching and learning materials and facilities throughout the country, the most recent of which include a modern library facility for the Tsito Senior High Technical School and a three-unit classroom block for the Akatsi ARS Basic School.

MTN said the Foundation was currently supporting the Akropong School for the Blind with a 16-unit dormitory block with 20 desktops for ICT laboratory and a 33-seater Coaster School bus.

It is also building ICT Centres of Learning in all the 10 regions in the country.