Players in the telecommunications industry, have risen to the occasion in the country’s efforts towards alleviating the impact of the novel coronavirus on the lives of Ghanaians.

This follows steps taken by government in this direction such as the provision of food, absorption of electricity and water bills and the roll-out of relief packages for small and medium scale businesses which may have been affected by the lockdown protocols announced by President Akufo-Addo, to counter the spread of the virus.

Among the directives preceding the ban on public gatherings was the closure of all educational institutions across the country, to enable the enforcement of good social distancing.

In this light, the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) has allowed “free access to over 100 educational online sites, e-learning platforms and libraries (public, private and foreign)” to enable students continue with academic activities from the comfort of their homes.

Some universities have already migrated modules from traditional sources onto various online platforms to facilitate teaching and learning, even as the pandemic bars physical interaction.

In a press statement on April 14, 2020, the Chamber also revealed it was supporting “over 240,000 customers consuming over 3,000 GB (3TB) per day for educational purposes.”

Ghana’s Covid-19 case count stands at 636 with eight deaths and 17 recoveries.

In the latest communique, the GCT also outlined moves to enable free calls to the National Covid-19 response number 112, as well as other emergency service numbers.

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications also announced an ongoing “collaboration with the National Information Technology Authority (NITA) to zero-rate government of Ghana Smart Workspace Portal to enable workers work from home.”

Read the full statement below.