Business News of Friday, 22 August 2003

Source: GNA

President Kufuor commissions $700K Telecom Station

Dompoase (Ash), Aug. 22, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday commissioned a 700,000-dollar Telecom Station at Dompoase in the Adansi West District of Ashanti.

The commissioning formed part of his working visit to the Ashanti Region to inspect projects and address durbars of chiefs and people. The project, which was initiated two and -a- half years ago, provided Ghana Telecom (GT) the opportunity to extend its services from Bekwai through radio to the Dompoase area.

The Dompoase Telecom Station was financed by GT through its internally generated revenue.

Briefing newsmen after the commissioning Nana Kwakye Tannor, Ashanti Regional Head of Ghana Telecom, said the station has a capacity of 120 subscribers but "out of this, we have connected a little over 60 including 10 pay phones for Dompoase and Fomena.

He said by March next year, the facility would be upgraded to take mobile phone services as well.

Nana Tannor said Ghana Telecom has drawn up a lot of programmes to extend telephone facilities to a number of communities.

"At the moment work is in progress to extend telephone to Manso Nkwanta in the Amansie West District while plans are advanced to send facility to Akrokerri in the Adansi West District."

The Regional Head expressed optimism about the efficiency of the Dompoase Station, saying, "since it is using Bekwai code you can dial Bekwai without adding any code."

The President who began his tour in Adansi West on Thursday is expected to address a durbar of chiefs and people of Adansi state at the forecourt of the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium.