At a brief handing over ceremony, the Acting Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr. Samuel Koranteng said that the MTN Foundation’s response to the request of the University of Ghana to support in equipping of an Assistive Technology Unit was in line with their role of ensuring that communities are empowered to enjoy the benefits of the digital world. According to him, the donation connotes a mark of strong-will, determination and commitment to creating a brighter world and making lives a whole lot brighter, especially as it would help the students with special educational needs to reach their full potentials in the University as the Foundation marks its 10th anniversary.
Mr. Koranteng expressed his gratitude to the Assistive Technology Unit and authorities of the University for their enormous collaboration in partnering with them to realise the project.
Acting Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr. Samuel Koranteng
In his remarks, Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, College Secretary of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences who represented the Registrar, stated that, the University of Ghana primarily established the Assistive Technology Unit (ATL) within the UGCS to cater for the increasing population of students and employees of the University with special needs. He noted with joy that MTN Foundation’s acceptance of their request and subsequent delivery of the equipment demonstrates a common dream of providing a level playing field for all persons especially persons with special needs. Mr. Baidoo further commended MTN Ghana Foundation for retooling and making the University’s Assistive Technology Unit the most equipped in the country. He also appealed to other corporate bodies to come on board and support the unit in order to offer the best services to all persons with special needs in the University and beyond.
Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, College Secretary of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences
Mr. Farid Gombila, a visually-impaired student, who held the audience spell bound with his self-drive and high morale, recalled challenges he had gone through during his secondary school days. He recounted how many of these challenges had been resolved with the help of Assistive Technological Devices in learning available at the University of Ghana. He said the devices continues to be of great help to him and his colleagues as the use of these devices had helped them improve upon their academic performance, as well as facilitated the writing of University examinations. He was appreciative to MTN for the kind gesture and made a special appeal to other corporate agencies to follow the example of MTN and make a positive contribution to the educational needs of students with special needs. He further challenged corporate bodies to go beyond providing facilities, and endeavour to provide them with employment opportunities as they can equally perform excellently with the aid of special devices.
Mr. Farid Gombila
The equipment donated were a Prodigy Desktop, a Sara Scanner, a projector, projector screen, three handheld Magnifiers, SMA for Jaws, three external hard drives, a Braille printer, five laptops, a LaserJet printer and 15 computers.
Officials from the University and MTN Ghana Foundation cut the ribbon to formally open the refurbished facility, and took a tour during which a number of students with special needs gave a demonstration on the use of the special devices.
Present at the ceremony were the Acting Provost of the College of Education, Professor Michael Tagoe, Director of Public Affairs Directorate, Mrs. Stella A. Amoa, Chief Information Technology Officer of UGCS, Mr. Lucas Chigabatia and Head of the Assistive Technology Lab, Mr. Alexander Bankole Williams. Mr. Fortress Adika, represented the Head of Office of Students with Special Needs, Other officials from MTN were the Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, Mr. Robert Kuzoe, the Senior Manager of Sustainability and Social Impact and Acting Executive Secretary of MTN Ghana Foundation, Mrs. Georgina Asare, Manager of Sustainability and Social Impact (MTN Ghana Foundation), Mad. Rhodarlyn Entsua-Mensah, Educational Portfolio Adviser of MTN, Mr. Ebenezer Tekpe.
Head of the Assistive Technology Lab, Mr. Alexander Bankole Williams
The ceremony was witnessed by students and employees of the university community, among them students with special needs.
Some of the students at the ceremony
