Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has urged the youth to take advantage of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and improve on their skills and competence to enable them to effectively contribute to national development. He said "the globalised world is ICT and if we have our boys and girls in it, it will bring the world to us to enhance our socio-economic development". Otumfuo Osei Tutu made the appeal when Mr. Paul Boateng, United Kingdom High Commissioner to South Africa, and Directors of the MTN Ghana Foundation, called on him at Manhyia last week in Kumasi. He noted that education was a powerful tool for uniting the people for national development and commended the Foundation for promoting ICT in Ghana. Otumfuo Osei Tutu said he would support industrial and technical projects of the Foundation that sought to offer employment to the youth in the country. The Asantehene challenged politicians to promote agriculture and education to improve the people's standards of living, instead of always putting up monumental structures to attract votes. Mr. Boateng said he was in Ghana to launch the construction of 10 replicable ICT learning centres in each of the 10 regions of the country. He said each centre would be equipped with 20 computers, a printer, photocopier and telephone with unit transfer capability and a white board for teaching ICT lessons. Mr. Boateng said the Foundation was committed to developing health, education, art and culture in the country. He praised Otumfuo Osei Tutu for demonstrating good leadership, saying that the traditional ruler has become an emblem and embodiment of greatness, culture, tradition and respect. Boateng said that MTN has become a Pan-Africanist and continental product. He expressed the hope that students, teachers and entrepreneurs in the country would avail themselves of the opportunity in the centres and upgrade their skills in ICT. Ms. Mawuena Dumor, Corporate Service Executive of MTN Ghana and Executive Director for the MTN Ghana Foundation said the company was committed to advancing the socio-economic development of Ghana through partnership. She praised Otumfuo Osei Tutu for supporting the Foundation to fulfil its social responsibilities and asked him to sustain the gesture towards the empowerment of communities through ICT education. Source: B&FT