Ghana Telecom (GT)has presented awards to 20 of its loyal customers at a ceremony to climax World Telecommunications Day which was celebrated across the country on Thursday May 17, 2007. The Day was on the theme: "Connecting the Young: The Opportunities of ICT". The customers made up of 10 corporate institutions and individuals were rewarded for their prompt payment of bills and loyalty to GT. They were also treated to a corporate lunch as part of the awards package and presented with other GT souvenirs. John Appiah Boateng, Western Regional Manager of GT said the company was now focusing on satisfying its customers, increasing its capacities, widening coverage and enhancing quality of services and pricing to suit customer's incomes. He said the establishment of the Care for U centres are meant to enhance customer satisfaction and to make services of GT easily accessibly to all. Mr Boateng said feedback was an essential ingredient in the life of every business and urged customers not to ignore this practice. Anthony E Amoah, Western Regional Minister, said the celebration of the Telecommunications Day coupled with the increasing challenges in the sector must motivate GT to increase and expand its services to other deprived communities. He said ICT was crucial and all stakeholders must make conscious efforts to streamline it to meet the needs of the youth who constitute a greater percent of the population. Mr Amoah, however, cautioned that thefts of telephone cables and other gadgets apart from retarding the progress of the company could also defeat the ICT agenda of the nation. Isaac A Afful, Manager of the Lower Prah Rural Bank in his contribution said the lack of fixed lines services at Shama was hampering the activities of the bank and called on the management of GT to rectify the situation. He appealed to the management of GT to constantly interact with its clients and also conduct outreach programmes in tertiary institutions to win more customers. Joseph A Boakye, Commercial Manager of GT, said presently the company had a total of 18,000 customers in the Western Region alone and expressed the hope to attract more with their new brands. Dayal Hotchand, Managing Director of Lucky Bazaar Supermarket, thanked the management of GT for the awards. He said it was the first time in the history of the company to award its customers, adding that such activities apart from strengthening relationship, enhanced business growth. Source: GNA