Accra, Ghana, March 1, 2019//-The India High Commissioner to Ghana, Birender Singh Yadav, has advised beneficiaries of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme to put the knowledge they acquired into good use for the benefit of the people.
According to him, the Indian government through the programme had provided technical assistance worth more than billions of dollars to developing countries, including Ghana.
Since the inception of the programme in 1964, it has benefited thousands of students and professionals from Africa, while India spends over $ 100 million annually on ITEC activities.
ITEC Day
Mr Yadav gave the advice at this year’s ITEC Day celebration held at his residence in Accra over the weekend.
The India High Commission in Ghana celebrates ITEC Day every year to mark this milestone in its technical and economic cooperation programme.
The day provides a platform to all ITEC alumni to come together and share their experiences. These interactions provide the High Commission with a useful avenue to get feedback about the programme, and helps in making the courses more productive and result-oriented.
According to him, Ghana has been one of the major participating countries under the ITEC scheme.
Growing ITEC beneficiaries
Mr Yadav revealed that since the commencement of the ITEC scheme, over 2,000 Ghanaian students and professionals had been trained in India.
Ghanaian students and professionals also benefit from other existing schemes, such as annual scholarships awarded by Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), the Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan (SCAAP), and the Government of India to Ghanaian students to pursue undergraduate/post graduate and higher courses in India, UN Peacekeeping courses, professional courses for Foreign Diplomats , the High Commissioner further disclosed.
Apart from the training of civilian personnel, ITEC also imparts training to defence personnel through various defence institutions in India.
According to Mr Yadav, the entire expenditure for training, including to and fro airfare, tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses was always borne by the Government of India.
He told the well-attended gathering that the ITEC programme ranges from short term courses to Diplomas and Masters Degrees of one-two year durations.
Mr Yadav stated that ITEC courses cover diverse fields such as agriculture and agro-processing, entrepreneurship development, tool design, small business creation, tele-medicine, energy, promotion of rural industries, information technology management, banking, food processing, audits and accounts, among others.
Commendations
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ziblim Iddi who was the guest speaker of the event commended the India High Commissioner to Ghana for his continued support, and the tireless effort in helping to make Ghana a major participant in the ITEC programme.
He noted that India had extended considerable technical assistance to Ghana through various Indian institutions, including the ITEC and the Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan (SCAAP), which emphasis have been on human resource development and transfer of knowledge.
Dr Iddi added: “It is truly gratifying to note that Ghana has, over the years, benefited from the goodwill and support of the Indian Government, through the latter’s sustained commitment of making a positive contribution to the socio-economic development of Ghana, through its SCAAP programme.”
India-Ghana bilateral relations
Touching on India-Ghana bilateral relations, Dr Iddi emphasised that India’s relations with Ghana have been long and historic, and enjoy exemplary bilateral relationship.
The strong foundation of India-Ghana friendship was laid by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
This friendship and bilateral cooperation between the two countries have grown steadily and have stood the test of time, he stressed.
The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT and the Golden Jubilee House are shining examples of India-Ghana bilateral cooperation.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
Email: mk68008@gmail.com
