Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU) has received corporate backing, bringing it closer to achieving the Vice-Chancellor’s ambitious Silicon Valley agenda aimed at transforming the institution into a leading hub for technology and innovation in Africa.
This follows a donation of five laptops by JPCann Associates Limited, a boutique management consulting firm specialising in business process outsourcing, training and capacity-building. The laptops are intended to support GCTU’s social media efforts as it promotes the Silicon Valley agenda and seeks to attract further corporate backing.
The GCTU, in 2023, called on 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 under the VC’s Computers for Silicon Valley (COSIVA) campaign, have been dedicated to social media awareness creation and fundraising initiatives to achieve the Silicon Valley dream of the management.
Vice Chancellor of GCTU, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene-Afoakwa, highlighted the university’s vision to establish a Ghanaian equivalent of Silicon Valley by establishing a centre of excellence centred on Innovation, Technology Skills, and Entrepreneurship Development.
“We are pursuing a massive agenda which has to do with a vision of developing Ghana’s version of Silicon Valley to train experts in the area of ICT not just for Ghana, but also for West Africa. But to achieve this, we need to improve our facilities and auxiliary resources to create an enabling environment for the programme to thrive,” Professor Ohene-Afoakwa declared.
The envisioned centre, set to be inaugurated later this year, needs about 100 computers to set off; and the academic institution has been seeking corporate support to bridge this gap as the government cannot do it all.
This anticipated Silicon Valley Centre of Excellence will be staffed with the world’s best tech experts who will be tasked with training students and various institutions in cyber-security, artificial intelligence and other critical IT disciplines.
Assistant Manager – Business Development, JPCann Associates Limited, Francis Tagoe, mentioned that the company is a beneficiary of top talents from the GCTU and as such, deems it fit to support initiatives of the institution aimed at advancing existing standards.
“We have seen the great work the management of this university is doing; and we are committed to partnering and supporting them in whatever way we can. This is just the beginning and we are hopeful of deepening the relationship,” he said.
“We appreciate JPCann Associates Limited’s commitment and support to our vision. This donation will significantly enhance our online presence and ability to engage with potential partners, ultimately driving progress toward our goal of establishing a cutting-edge ICT hub,” the VC stated.
The Ghana Communication Technology University aims to create a thriving ecosystem for ICT innovation, entrepreneurship and education, mirroring the success of Silicon Valley. By collaborating with corporate partners, GCTU seeks to upgrade its facilities, foster research and development, and nurture the next generation of tech leaders.
