Stephen Agbenyo, the Northern Projects node coordinator briefed all on the activities of GINKS and implored all to participate actively. He then took turn to introduce the chairman for the day, Mr. Andrew Dei Saibu, Country Director, Let Us Shine Ghana and also the panel members, Miss Phidelia Deyegbe, Executive Assistant, Consolidated Solutions Limited, Tamale and Mr. M.K.H. Amponsah, Area Manager, Ghana Telecom, Tamale.

Mr. Saibu in his opening remarks on the topic mentioned that the emergence of the information age has brought to the fore, the important role that information, knowledge and technology can play in facilitating socio economic development. The effective use of information and knowledge is becoming the most critical factor for rapid economic growth and wealth creation and for improving socio economic well being. However, the challenge has always been the how of using ICTs to reduce poverty. The topic, he said was therefore very appropriate.

The Area Manager of Ghana Telecom, Mr. MKH Amponsah gave an overview of what ICTs are. He mentioned that there is no definite definition for ICTs. He however said that among the many definitions of ICTs, it could also include any product that can be used to store, retrieve and translate information in an electronic form. He also mentioned that Information Technology is the literacy that is gained through reading books, the knowledge, skills and understanding that are applied in ICT.

On the state of ICTs in the North, he mentioned that there was no need arguing over the north –south digital gap since it was a reality that we must all accept as a fact and rather strategise to bridge the gap.

He announced that in trying to bridge the gap, Ghana Telecom has several packages for the North and encouraged all to take time to have a look at all the Ghana Telecom products. He mentioned that by the close of year 2008, his outfit intends to extend Broadband Services to Yendi, Buipe, Damongo and Salaga all in the Northern Region.

He mentioned that there can be no special strategies for the north in an effort to bridge the north –south gap and that all strategies should and would be a national strategy covering all ten regions. He mentioned that attitude of end users would build the bridge.

The Executive Assistant of Consolidated Solutions Limited, Miss Phidelia Deyegbe said ICTs can work in the north and poverty would be a thing of the past for the north. She said this when she took her turn as a panel member to speak on “ICTs reducing poverty in Northern Ghana; a reality or a mirage?” and “How ICTs can be used to reduce poverty in Northern Ghana and the opportunities available”.

She said there are case studies of how ICTs have been used to better the cause of the poor in Tanzania and Kenya and that their success stories could be tailor-made to suit the peculiar needs in the north. She mentioned that individuals could form a network of employment by sourcing funds from other individuals.

Miss Deyegbe said there was an ongoing view that ICT was totally irrelevant for the poor who are generally illiterate and that the poor need food and not ICT tools. She however said “ICTs are rapidly transforming lives, the way we do business and access information”

Contributing to the discussion, Mr. Bashiru Jumah of SEND Foundation stated that ICT4D practitioners have over the years concentrated on issues regarding technology to the detriment of the Information bit of ICT and hence the current state where people deploy technologies for deploying sake without taking a look at the reason why they even need the technology and what it can do for their businesses no matter how small the business is. “We have to move away from an over concentration on the technology bit and concentrate on the information bit” he said.

A participant also cited the ECAMIC project of SEND Foundation as a clear case of how ICTs can reduce poverty. He mentioned that with Mobile telephony, rural farmers are able to do away with middle men and are able to make better deals in the sale of their produce. They access market and price information easily by receiving and sending SMS with the use of mobile phones.