Accra, May 5, GNA - MTN Ghana has initiated moves to explore the possibility of providing broadband network services through an undersea fibre optics cable, dedicated to oil companies operating offshore in Ghana. A statement issued in Accra by Mrs. Mawuena Trebarh, Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana said: "MTN Ghana intends to build and operate an Offshore Broadband Network for the Petroleum Industry in Ghana through its partnership with Pard Energy."

As part of the initiative, MTN in collaboration with Pard Energy, a Norwegian-based Energy Company, has held a forum with stakeholders to bring awareness to technological and financial opportunities that broadband data and voice services can offer to offshore oil companies and stakeholders as well as onshore data sites and centres.

The workshop was also used to discuss expertise in data and voice services as well as petroleum-related value added services, which would be required by companies in the energy sector when Ghana begins to produce oil. The statement quoted Mr. Brett Goschen, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, as saying that as the market leader in Ghana's telecommunications industry, the company is always working to identify needs and develop innovative ways to meet the telecom needs of all emerging markets. He said MTN and Pard Energy would offer data and value-added services such as fibre optics networks to the offshore platforms of oil companies while providing other data centres onshore.

"For us at MTN, this is an opportunity to once again fulfil our commitment to meet the diverse needs of the communities within which we operate. This will be done through pioneering offshore fibre optic deployment in Ghana and Africa," he said.

The workshop was attended by key stakeholders in the Oil and Gas industry, experts from the Energy Sector as well as regulatory agencies and representatives from other MTN operating units. Pard Energy has since 2004 been operating as a petroleum project development company from its base in Norway. The company has been engaged in promoting and developing the petroleum activities offshore Ghana, since 2004, partnering with Tullow Oil for the Tano Shallow license and transferring its license ownership to Inter Oil E&P Pard Energy.

Its owners have also been involved in the development of the Digital Infrastructure in the North Sea.