Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has launched a China-aided Satellite Television Project for 300 villages across Ghana.

Speaking at the launch on Wednesday at Akweibu Basic School at Dansoman, a suburb of Accra, Madam Owusu-Ekuful explained that the project, financed by a grant from the Chinese government under the China-aided Satellite TV Project, would provide two sets of solar projected TV systems and one digital TV integrated with a decoder and digital decoder systems for the respective villages.

According to the minister, the objective of the project “is to provide satellite TV reception with a bouquet of digital channels for three selected public areas and 20 households in the 300 communities.”

She indicated that there shall be the provision of “2 solar powered projectors TV and one TV set will be given access to a bouquet of 20 digital channels from StarTimes entertainment free of charge.”

The minister underscored that the equipment in the public area is under a five-year warranty, adding “my information is that the communities have also been given 900 solar lights for free.”

She highlighted that Members of Parliament, the Parliamentary Committee of Communication and Finance, MMDCEs and Ministers selected the beneficiary communities which are spread through all the 10 regions of Ghana.

Commenting on the benefits of the project to the respective communities, the minister explained that “about 1000 new jobs will be created by this project in the training of 2 young people in each community to conduct installation and servicing of the equipment and 300 project managers.”

On his part, StarTimes Ghana Chief Operating Officer (COO), Felix Ahonzo, said the launch of the Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages Project by the Chinese government, offered an opportunity for China and Ghana to chart a new path as both nations seek to deepen their bilateral relations.

According to him, 57 communities were selected in the Ashanti Region, 43 in the Eastern Region, 37 in Greater Accra, 35 in Central Region, 31 in Brong Ahafo, 30 in the Northern Region, 24 in the Western Region, 18 in the Volta Region, 17 in the Upper East and eight in the Uppper West Region.

A total of 20 channels with predominantly African content to cover news, entertainment, music, movies, among others, form part of the project.

The Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages Project was signed in December 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Corporation (FOCAC) summit.