The Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU) has received corporate support, bringing it closer to achieving the Vice-Chancellor’s ambitious Silicon Valley agenda to transform the institution into a leading technology and innovation hub in Africa.
This follows a donation of five laptops from JPCann Associates Limited, a boutique management consultancy specializing in business process outsourcing, training and capacity building. The laptops are intended to support the GCTU’s social networking efforts as it promotes its Silicon Valley agenda and seeks to attract further corporate support.
The GCTU, in 2023, invited corporate entities to partner with the university to help transform its existing infrastructure into world-class facilities suitable for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education.
The five computers, received as part of the VC’s Computers for Silicon Valley (COSIVA) campaign, have been dedicated to creating social media awareness and fundraising initiatives to achieve the Silicon Valley management dream.
The GCTU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene-Afoakwa, highlighted the university’s vision to create a Ghanaian equivalent of Silicon Valley by establishing a center of excellence focused on Innovation, Technological Skills and Entrepreneurship Development.
“We are pursuing a massive agenda that has to do with a vision of developing Ghana’s version of Silicon Valley in training ICT specialists not just for Ghana, but for West Africa. But to achieve this, we need to improve our facilities and ancillary resources to create an environment conducive for the program to thrive,” said Professor Ohene-Afoakwa.
The envisioned center, set to open later this year, needs about 100 computers to get started. and the academic establishment is looking for corporate support to bridge this gap, as government cannot do it all.
This anticipated Silicon Valley Center of Excellence will be staffed with the world’s best technology experts who will be tasked with educating students and various institutions in cyber security, artificial intelligence and other critical IT disciplines.
The Assistant Manager – Business Development, JPCann Associates Limited, Francis Tagoe, said that the company is a beneficiary of top talent from the GCTU and as such, sees fit to support the institution’s initiatives aimed at promoting existing standards.
“We have seen the great work that the administration of this university is doing. and we are committed to working with and supporting them in any way we can. This is just the beginning and we hope to deepen the relationship,” he said.
“We appreciate JPCann Associates Limited’s commitment and support to our vision. This donation will greatly enhance our online presence and our ability to work with potential partners, ultimately leading to progress towards our goal of creating a cutting-edge ICT hub,” said the VC.
The University of Communication Technology Ghana aims to create a thriving ecosystem for ICT innovation, entrepreneurship and education, mirroring the success of Silicon Valley. By working with corporate partners, GCTU seeks to upgrade its facilities, advance research and development, and nurture the next generation of technology leaders.
