The Minister of Communications, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, yesterday cut sod to commence the construction of the $8.84 million Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) center in Accra.

The project, which is expected to be completed in September this year, would provide a grade ‘A’ facility for local and foreign investors who would want to outsource some of their projects in Ghana.

Dr. Boamah, who was speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony, said the project was being executed as a result of the work of E-Ghana project, which is providing $5 million through the World Bank.

He said Rockefeller Foundation was also supporting the project with a grant of $3.84 million, bringing the total amount of the project to $8.84 million.

Dr. Boamah said China and Malaysia had benefitted enormously from the BPO sector and that Ghana should not be an exception.

He said, “Last year we were able to complete 18 information centers and additional 21 community information centers will be constructed.”

“With mobile phone subscription escalating and emergence of smartphone, it is important we take advantage of the digital economy,” Dr. Boamah said.

He said investment in the digital economy would obviously improve our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because the evidence is clear.

Dr. Boamah commended World Bank and Rockefeller Foundation for their support in ensuring a successful commencement of the BPO center.

Ghana’s BPO industry scored the highest, followed closely by India, out of 50 countries in the 2009 A.T. Kearney Global Services Location Index.

Ghana was ranked the 15th most favored destination overall.

In 2009, Ghana was adjudged the leading outsourcing destination in Sub-Saharan Africa.