MTN Ghana has spent GH¢854,000 on projects in three key areas as its corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects for the first quarter of 2014.
The MTN Ghana Foundation projects on health, education and economic empowerment will be evenly spread across the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Mr Serame Taukobong, said this at the annual Editors Forum in Accra at which he announced the company’s operating results for 2013.
The forum brought together editors, media owners, senior correspondents and specialised information and communications technology (ICT) reporters to share information with them on recent happenings in the company, including its annual report, and also share some perspectives on industry issues.
Some of the projects, he said, included the MTN KNUST telecoms innovation, Internet connectivity for ICT centres, Hepatitis B campaign, the Ghana Cleft Project, and the Akyem Asafo Senior High School project.
Mr Taukobong said in the last six years the foundation had spent GH¢14.5 million in CSR projects but planned to increase the expenditure in the future.
He said it had executed 54 projects in the educational sector, 27 projects in the health sector and seven projects for economic empowerment.
He said under health, the company had constructed a 15-bed children’s ward and shed for the Twifo Praso Government Hospital. It had also sponsored some students to acquire tertiary education.
“An additional GH¢1.60 million was offered as support in scholarships and surgeries, among other initiatives,” he said.
Tax Revenues
Concerning tax revenues, Mr Taukobong said the company contributed GH433,210,640.90 in tax to support national development in 2013.
Out of that, he said, 20 per cent was spent on capital expenditure, 12 per cent on rent and utilities, eight per cent on corporate income tax, five per cent on salary and staff cost, and three per cent on maintenance and transmission, while there were other costs.
“Thirty four point five per cent of every GH¢1 spent by a customer goes into taxes such as the Value-Added Tax (VAT), the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), the frequency charges and income tax,” he added.
He, however, expressed optimism that MTN would be able to perform better in the coming years in order to provide more infrastructural and technological services for the nation.
Editors Remarks
In his address, the Chairman of the National Media Commission, Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, lauded MTN’s initiative to bring together media personnel to discuss issues concerning the company.
He also lauded MTN for its show of support by way of CSR activities to complement the government’s efforts at developing the country.