Barclays Donates Pcs to 2 Institutions

Barclays Bank Ghana has donated one personal computer each to the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the Kassena Nankana IT Foundation at a ceremony in Accra.

Mr. Kobina Quansah, Managing Director of Barclays presented the items worth ? 29.1 million to the two institutions.

He said Barclays has accepted the challenges posed by the information technology age to make tremendous investments in its IT infrastructure, providing the Bank with the platform on which to develop new technologically driven products to meet customers' ever changing needs.

"As a Bank, we identify ourselves with the need for higher IT appreciation in this era of technological advancement, recognizing that it is the key for global competitiveness as well as excellence in all areas of endeavour, be it business or education," Mr. Quansah said.

He said as part of the Bank's corporate social responsibility, it has over the years supported initiatives that offer Ghanaians, especially the youth, the opportunity to equip themselves with the necessary tools, particularly in information technology, to enable them to meet the challenges ahead.

He said the Bank has supported the Ghana Education Trust Fund, the University of Cape Coast, and recently the UNDP Mobile Tele centre-To-Go project, a UNDP Internet initiative for Africa, designed to integrate IT into schools curricula and business amongst others - all, to enable as many Ghanaian students as possible, including those in the Kassena Nankana areas to have equal access and benefit from IT advancement.

"It is in this regard," Mr. Quansah said, "that Barclays has accepted to associate itself with the ideals of the Kassena Nankana IT Foundation as well as the desire of the National Union of Ghana Students to acquire some IT tools to facilitate its advocacy role nation wide with this donation."

He expressed optimism that the two new PCs would be applied with absolute prudence by the Kassena Nankana IT Foundation and the NUGS.

Hon. John Achuliwor, MP for Kassena Nankana on behalf of the Kassena Nankana IT Foundation thanked Barclays Bank for the laudable gesture, saying it would uplift the lives of thousands who would be seeing and using PCs for the very first time.

He commended Barclays for leading the way.

Hon. Achuliwor who is also the Deputy Minister for Communications said the vision of the IT Foundation in the next three years is for the majority of JSS1 students through to workers to have hands on training.

Again, the period 2004-2008 will be devoted to empowering primary to tertiary level students with IT training to bridge and leap frog the gap in education between the north and south of the country.

From here the older PCs will be let out to community cafes to sustain the skills so far acquired by the people in the area.

Mr. Isaac Dankyi-Koranteng, Co-ordinating Secretary for the NUGS expressed gratitude to Barclays, which has previously presented them with a photocopier.

He said it is the vision of NUGS to use dialogue as the first option to settle all conflicts and issues rather than resort to demonstrations.

The NUGS representative said NUGS will soon launch its 10-year strategic plan that will take care of all development projects and possible income generating ventures.

The Barclays team included Mr. Alhassan Andani, Corporate Director, Mrs. Shola Safo-Duodu, Head Retail Performance (North), Mr. Geoff Millard, Head Assurance, Mrs. Tina Ayisi, Head Services Delivery Manager and Mr. Steven Opon, Senior Marketing Manager.