Sunyani (B/A), May 15, GNA - Vodafone, a British Telecommunication Company now operating in Ghana has initiated a rural-community public telephone system to complement government's efforts of bridging the telecommunication gap between urban and rural dwellers. The project, being implemented on a pilot basis, is to promote the Ghana Education Service (GES) policy of non-use of mobile phones on campuses by students. Mr Akueri Atoni Lamisi, Brong Ahafo Regional Corporate Communications Manager disclosed this on Friday in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani. He said Vodafone had already installed two public phone booths at Afrisipakrom in Tano North District and three each in some selected schools in the region.

The schools include Sunyani, Berekum, Techiman and Dormaa Senior High Schools, Sunyani Business College, Saint James Seminary/Senior High School in Sunyani, Sacred Heart Senior High School at Nsoatre in Sunyani West District and Serwaah Kese Senior High School at Duayaw Nkwanta in Tano North District.

Mr Lamisi explained that Vodafone Ghana did not take over Ghana Telecom "just to make profit, but to help improve the socio-economic lives of the people and promote the nation's developmental agenda". He said the project was having a positive impact on the people, and the school pilot project was helping in the effective implementation of the GES non-use of mobile phones on campuses by students. Mr Lamisi said the project was also helping the school authorities and administrators to control the students by maintaining discipline and improving on teaching and learning.

He explained that the system was being powered by a solar energy technology and that a solar panel had been installed on top of the booth with an accumulator located at the base of it. Mr Lamisi said the accumulator had the capacity to retain the energy for at least 12 hours adding that a lot of research went into bringing about that innovation. He said to ensure the success of the pilot project the company gave a free chip to every student in all the schools and each resident at Afrisipakrom. 15 May 09