BB Series - Coming Soon

The use of technology in various fields is an undisputed fact and mastery in MS Word and Excel is a skill highly sought after by employers even after school. Since there is greater access to computer-based technology in the schools, focus has been on training students to effectively use all the applications the computer comes with not forgetting MS Word and Excel.

Therefore, Bright’s monolithic work Easy Guide on Word and Excel made Easy for Secondary Schools and Tertiary Institutions, which is the second edition of his first edition titled Excel for All provides the necessary content for those who want to master Word and Excel respectively. The current editions have material that have further been updated where called for. 

These editions are replete with illustrations that are friendly to students in the Senior High School and Tertiary Institutions. The idea is to give enough skill to students/teachers/workers to navigate around any Word or Excel related work.

It is gratifying to learn that this practical oriented work has come at a time when the Government of Ghana is integrating Information Communication Technology into the working environment and in schools as well. This book has also been written in line with the ICT Elective Syllabus and ICT Core Syllabus.

In addition, Easy Guide on Word and Excel made Easy will be a very good practical guide to students at the tertiary who undertake compulsory and Elective ICT courses. These books are also a good reference material to assist teachers in their teaching. For example, current research (Benning & Agyei, 2016) is championing the integration of Spreadsheet in teaching aspects of Mathematics.

What makes Easy Guide on Word and Excel made Easy for Secondary Schools and Tertiary Institutions outstanding is that it guides the user to easily perform a task in Word or Excel and learn something new in Word or Excel.  It is therefore hoped that these books will be found useful in numerous ways in diverse places/organizations/schools where Word and Excel are paramount to their success.

Digital Transformation for Small and Medium Sized Business – Now Is the Time for the First Steps

Micha van den Akker spent three months in Ghana for a research project on digital transformation in small and medium sized enterprises. The project sought to answer why some businesses use IT and others do not. What the stumbling blocks or concerns are, and how they can be overcome. In this article, Micha summarizes the findings of this qualitative study.

I have been in the beautiful country of Ghana for the past three months. Besides enjoying the culture, nature and food, I was working on my thesis for a Master of Business Informatics at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. The research focused on two questions: first, figuring out why many small and medium enterprises in West Africa hesitate to go digital; and second, to create a pathway for local IT companies to help them to do so. The broad scope of the research enabled me to travel to different rural and urban areas. This was relevant as regional differences are significant. I did interviews with 30 different companies, both IT-companies (supplying technologies) and small and medium enterprises (SME) - the users of digital technologies.

Micha van den Akker and Trinity Software Center manager Stephen Ofori at the digital transformation workshop with SME in Kumasi

During the research, I focused on companies which do not or barely use digital tools for their business processes. Concerns about the introduction of IT included the availability of infrastructure (Internet and electricity), cyber security, other day-to-day priorities; financials (costs vs benefits) and digital skills of personnel.

The level of knowledge about IT proved clearly to be a bottleneck, as most of the managers interviewed during the research, have no digital education or experience. The will and desire to learn about the possibilities are certainly there, but circumstances do not (easily) allow them to catch up. They hear about the technologies, but do not know where to start or how to implement them. Furthermore, many do not see the benefits or have hard times weighing the benefits against the costs. They tend to have a rather short-term focus to achieve their next business goals, and see IT projects as a long-term investment and not a priority.

In order to make things easier for business people, a method was created. The goal of the method focused on guiding SMEs during their digital transformation, in a trustworthy and open environment. With the help of Trinity Software Center, a Kumasi based IT company, a very affordable one day workshop was developed, covering all concerns of the SME regarding IT. It explains the importance of going digital in the fast changing world; it introduces various digital possibilities like management systems, social media, and digital collaboration tools, many of them are actually free. It also deals with subjects such as change management, and includes an interactive session on making a digital strategy. During the workshop all questions about IT, digital and business were asked and discussions were encouraged.

The workshop proved to be very useful. The participants gained knowledge in IT and digital possibilities and promised to start using IT in their business processes. Also, the combination of the overview of the different options from a theoretical point of view together with the additional technical support by Trinity Software Center, were well perceived.

At the end of my three months’ research, I feel confident to write that SMEs in Ghana which do not yet use IT, are ready for the next (digital) step. The business competition is high and these technologies could be used for competitive advantage. Customers all over Ghana are feeling more comfortable doing business online and companies should use these channels to reach them and to market their products. Software solutions should be designed in such a way, that they can deal with connectivity and electricity problems. A synchronizing system, operating offline as well as online is recommended. User-friendly interfaces are very important.

The first and proven step to guide these transformations is education on the possibilities, benefits and applicability of IT in businesses. An objective analysis of the company and the joint creation of a digital strategy helps owners of SMEs to overcome their doubts. The workshop we designed proved that IT companies can assist SMEs in this process. Trinity Software Center will be holding more Digital Transformation Workshops in the Kumasi metropolitan region with that goal.

Last but not least, I recommend owners of SMEs, to actively look at the potentials of IT for their company and its stakeholders. There are IT and digital options for all different types of organizations and they can help to thrive and/or survive in the 21^st century. The first step is a solid infrastructure, improved communication and insights focusing on the core business. After that, a process of continuous innovation can start and help a company grow. Taking a first step for (digital) change is always a challenge, but communication with IT professionals can help take away the doubts.

Author: Micha van den Akker (Student, Master of Business Informatics, Utrecht University, Netherlands). Research in collaboration with Trinity Software Center.

Sources: https://www.iipgh.org/

Coding made part of basic school curriculum from September

Coding will become part of the basic school education curriculum from this academic year, the Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, has announced.

Coding class, which involves the use of computer programming to create computer software apps and websites, will be compulsory for basic schools in the country.
This follows the review of the educational curriculum for which teachers are currently being trained.

She made the announcement at the Open Day event for awardees of the Western Region Girls in Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Accra Monday.

It aimed at encouraging and empowering girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of ICT, to enable both girls and technology companies to reap the benefits of greater female participation in the ICT sector.

This year’s programme provides mentorship for 60 pupils who were selected among 600 others from various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the Western Region.

While in Accra, the girls will be given the opportunity to meet female IT professionals at their places of work that is MTN, Vodafone, Airtel-Tigo, American Tower Company (ATC) and National Information Technology Agency (NITA)

Training teachers
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Mrs Owusu Ekuful said as part of the introduction of the new curriculum training, teachers were currently being trained on how to teach ICT and coding.

She said the introduction of students to ICT only at the secondary level was not enough and that there was the need to include students at the basic level as well to make it common for all students to study.

Mrs Owusu Ekuful said the Ministry of Communications was working with the Ministry of Education to also ensure that the requisite backbone infrastructure was put in place to support the training of the pupils.

Connecting rural schools
In the absence of computer laboratories in most schools in rural communities, the minister said, coding classes would be held at community information centres.

She was, however, quick to add that the ministry, through the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, was sending connectivity to basic schools.

She said on August 26, 2019, the government would roll out a Wi-Fi programme that Blue Town, a Danish company had completed at Aburi. The project would be on a pilot basis for others and that it would be replicated across the country.

Dangers
A representative from the National Security Centre, Mr Samuel Anning, stated that while the centre was excited about the programme and the prospects ICT held for young people, it was also concerned about the inherent dangers for them.

Representatives of sponsors of the programme— MTN Ghana, Vodafone, Airtel-Tigo, American Towers Company and NITA urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity presented to them to develop expertise in ICT which was the future of Ghana’s economy.

Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke about their ICT learning experience, said they were able to create websites and to develop some computer gaming programmes.

Source: Graphics.com.gh

Founding a technology-based venture in Ghana - An application of Effectuation Logic

Launching a technology-based venture in our uncertain Ghanaian business environment is an uphill task. In the face of these challenges, entrepreneurs have no choice but to adopt mechanisms that will help them survive the roller coaster business environment if they want to start a business.

It is quite encouraging to observe the developments taking place in the technology sector in Ghana. Entrepreneurs are obtaining some forms of supports from government projects/programs and other non-governmental organizations, which is reassuring. These supports are however accessible to a handful of entrepreneurs, and on a short-term basis. There is, therefore, a need to introduce technology-based venture entrepreneurs to ingenious approaches to starting their new venture founding process.

I will share with technology-based startup entrepreneurs decision-making approach that Saras Sarasvathy, a professor at Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, USA, found out that expert entrepreneurs use in time of uncertainty - the Effectuation Decision-Making Logic. Effectuation teaches entrepreneurs how to co-create the future with their available means - the limited resource at their disposal at a point in time. When starting a new venture using the effectual decision approach, entrepreneurs will have to consider the following principles:

Bird in Hand Principle

Entrepreneurs are encouraged to consider these means – Who I am, What I know and Who I know, during the foundation stage of their businesses. According to Sarasvathy (2001), “who I am” takes into consideration the characteristics of the individual; “what I know” is the assessment of the expertise that the individual has, and the “who I know” helps one identify the network one has, which will offer the new venture the much-needed support. When these means are carefully assessed, the entrepreneur can prudently choose which idea to start with and/or the area to start from. They can start small with the resources that they have and gradually search for other possibilities to expand.

Affordable Loss Principle

This principle encourages entrepreneurs to consider or reflect on what they can afford to lose if they are unsuccessful with the new venture creation.  Due to the high levels of uncertainty in our Ghanaian business environment, there is a high possibility of failure. When embarking on new venture creation, an entrepreneur should limit him/herself to losses he/she can recover from (Sarasvathy, 2001); instead of going in for expensive office space, one could use the bedroom, co-working space, dormitory or an internet café to launch his business. Free hosting platforms could also be used to test the minimum viable products instead of acquiring expensive ones. In the event that the business is unsuccessful, entrepreneurs will be able to pivot quickly.

The Leveraging Contingencies Principle

Entrepreneurs should be ready to pivot when market conditions change, or the expectation of the customer changes. Turn the lemons into lemonade – reconsidering an idea or business model to survive the condition of time to increase the survival rate. The future is unpredictable, so measures ought to be put in place to control the unexpected – “The ability to turn the unexpected into the profitable (Sarasvathy, 2001).” If the entrepreneur is working on a software for schoolchildren and meets an investor who is interested in an App and is asking for some changes to be made to the App before investing in the business, the entrepreneur can tweak the software idea to meet the expectation of the investor. When consumer taste changes, one has to learn how to adapt to these changes or the entrepreneur will end up developing a product that no one needs or cannot run on new technology. Flexibility is key.

Crazy Quilt or Strategic Partnership Principle

Since entrepreneurs cannot predict the future, they are encouraged to focus on building strategic partnerships to facilitate operations of their businesses. Entrepreneurs will have to focus on identifying and engaging potential customers for their products. Some of these engagements can lead to the commitment of money, time or other resources to support the venture creation. Entrepreneurs can concentrate on effectively and efficiently bring an idea to the market with such support. It could be a commitment from a customer to acquire or use the entrepreneur's product when he or she finishes developing it. Such supports and commitments mitigate the uncertainty in new ventures creation.

Pilot in the Plane Principle – control

Entrepreneurs need to know what they can control, given the resources they have at any given moment. This knowledge will inform the choices they make. “Who you are.” The entrepreneur’s ability to control the resources around him or her will determine the part of the new venture.

A look at these principles of effectuation reminds us of how some Ghanaian entrepreneurs usually start businesses. However, in most cases, all these principles are not thoroughly considered in new venture creation, leading to the avoidable challenges that new venture creators encounter. Some technology-based start-up entrepreneurs start with their “bird in hand”, but when there is a need to leverage contingencies, they become resistant. Going into a strategic partnership is mostly looked at from a monetary perspective, but individuals should learn to exploit other forms of partnerships to reduce the risk and uncertainty in new venture creation process.

An example is the USA based company, Airbnb, valued around $10 billion today. The founders started by providing lodging on an air mattress and breakfast in their apartment to people for a fee; this was to help them pay their rent. The success of this idea gave birth to a simple website where people could book to stay in their apartment. After a few bookings on the site, they saw the potential in the idea, and decided to look for a co-founder to further work on the website and launched the business. They used the means available to them to start their venture. Their initial plan was to pay their rent, but it later turned out to be a big company.

Careful consideration and use of the effectual principles will enhance the success of new technology-based ventures in our uncertain Ghanaian business environment. 

Reference: www.effectuation.org

Sarasvathy, S.D. (2001), What Makes an Entrepreneur Entrepreneurial, University of Washington School of Business, Washington DC.

Author: Kwabena Obiri Yeboah,

Member: Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana

For comments, contact author: koyeboah2@gmail.com | kwabena.yeboah@afrolynk.com

My Take On The On- Going Workshop For Basic Teachers On The New Curriculum - Edudzi Randy Ahadzi

I write not as a teacher but a concerned citizen, not a spectator but responsible citizen. I must first of all give a thumps for the great initiative ,introducing a new curriculum that in their own wisdom will help groom pupils right.

I must applaud MoE & GES. But isn't this rather an unfortunate situation? I mean, the way and manner the teachers are been treated during the workshops? Teachers were hurriedly called back from their holidays just for this workshop without even thinking about those on sandwich programs, my understanding is that, they were even threatened that failure to attend the workshops will make it impossible for you to be handed a class to teach, isn't that an unfair treatment? Don't teachers deserve better?

I've been to several workshops and none has been held in an open space with participants sitting on hard benches, participants are either housed in a serene environment (sometimes 5 star hotels) with good meals/refreshment. What's different in the case of teachers? Teachers earn so little that even an SHS leaver who manages to enter into any of the security services even earns more than a teacher. Gosh... It's disheartening.

A provision for GH¢1.20p (Aliha & Bread) worth of snacks is what these participants are been given. People who are supposed to be implementer of this new curriculum? It's total injustice towards these teachers. Is it a crime to be a teacher in Ghana? Are they beggars? Ain't they working hard enough? Why motivate the teacher so lowly?

A Black Stars team that couldn't even qualify to the quarter final of the just ended AFCON 2019 in Egypt had members earning above $200.000. Forgive me for this comparison but I think it's just unfair treating teachers this way. For how long must they serve our beloved country as paupers?

Teachers retire after 30 or 40 years in service with meagre amount of money. Sadly, their various unions are not biting enough. Lest not forget that, it's mandatory for every worker to go on leave in this country, do teachers have that freedom? All they enjoy is their holidays, and when you call someone back from his/her leave that certainly must come with some allowances, how much is given to these teachers in this regard?

Enough is enough, the classroom teacher also deserves the best. Quality teaching/tuition must come with quality remuneration.

Thank you.

By: Edudzi Randy Ahadzi

Winning the Competition with Data Science and Machine Learning

Patterns are inherent in everything we can see, feel, touch and taste. The reverse is also true for the things that are incorporeal too, an assertion which may be weird and far-fetched for an average mind. In a semiconductor laboratory in one of the universities I attended, the Professor in charge of the Laboratory explained the concept of sensors to detect smells of vegetables, for example, onions. About 90% of the class did not understand the whole concept but it works. 

At a point during the lecture, sensing our confused minds, he jokingly said, “you have to be either a witch or wizard to understand”. Sneering with laughter as he proudly looked at the long linear algebraic equations used in explaining the concept, he said one day you will understand if you think hard enough. In the ensuing while mused over the theories and concepts, I personally concluded that, it is all about patterns based on mathematical derivatives.  I will later write an article on artificial intelligence systems which uses electronic nose for both security applications and industrial purposes but now let us focus on becoming a winner with Machine Learning technologies in any field of business.

Taking Advantage of Data Science

The story of a janitor - trial and error:

In his desperation, he relied on data. He sampled data of the basketball pitch and things used in the game of basketball by using measuring tools such as level, measuring tapes, and ladder to collect the data. He used plastic cones to check the effectiveness of the line from the hoop to the three-point line. He used a table as a reference point of the three-point line. Finally, the pressure of the basketball was checked. With all this information at hand, he transformed the sampled raw data into a mathematical model. With the application of his derived mathematical model, the story changed! Three things were clearly evident after the application of the model.

• The outcome of his “throw ins” changed. He never missed a ball. The application of data science changed the losses to gains.
• The application of knowledge will change the opinion of your business competitors.
• Applying the data science to your business can change your business outlook. It will cause you to swim with Sharks in the deep waters of business recognition.  You will be the best or ranked among the best.

Real Life Scenarios in African Business Setups

When I visit shopping centres in Accra, I see the clear need to deploy data science techniques to improve the outcomes of businesses, including the management of personnel and positioning of products to improve sales. On many occasions when I shopped at the Accra Shopping Mall and purchased a large quantity of bottled water for events, I left the supermarket without anyone asking for my contact information and the reason for the purchase. With such a high-volume purchase, it is easy to get details of any customer with the discount bait!

Although, there are many simple ways of collecting customer data, the discount bait is one of the commonest!  Data collection from customers can help businesses with the main purpose of transforming these raw data into useful information which translates into insightful winning stakes like the janitor in the short story sketch.

Some lessons from European Business

Some European supermarkets have mastered the placement of products so that upon entering a particular shopping outlet one spends less time and also enjoy the shopping experience. For instance, I know where to pick sardines in any Aldi or Spar shopping centre in UK, Germany, Austria or Holland. There is a science behind the position of these items and the psychology behind it work in a subtle manner.  

In some of these shopping centres with multiple outlets data collection is every important. The collected data enables them to target customers with specific adverts based on historic patterns. Customers are therefore motivated by a small discount to purchase a card which their Business Intelligence units use to prepare campaigns and targeted advertisements.

Apart from these benefits, the card, which is linked to a database, can be helpful in diverse ways. For instance, supposing the main warehouse of these retail outlets wants to distribute their products, relying on historic data and buying trends of consumers as well as spatial information of these outlets, products can be distributed easily.

In conclusion, to be a winner in this era, our game plan must always be robust and ruthless to aim at only winnings. To achieve this purpose, our business strategies must go beyond the normal strategies to include leveraging on Data science and Machine Learning. The patterns hidden in any data for any given situation could be harnessed and used to predict future likely outcomes with near perfection.  Through the application of this knowledge in our businesses, we can curb errors that can lead to the collapse of businesses, deaths, accidents due to human errors or inconsistent behavioural patterns in humans.

Author: Benjamin Mensah

Member: Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana

For comments, contact author: bekmens@gmail.com

Mobile: +233240249881

Source: www.iipgh.org 

Telecom Towers: The Health & Safety Implications

Telecommunication has become a major drive for socio-economic growth, globally. The utilization of the opportunities that come with it has led to the proliferation of telecommunication masts (Masts).

Masts (also referred to as towers)  are typically tall metal structures that support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting for mobile phone, radio, television and radar.

The issue of mast location and the associated safety and health hazards is extremely imperative to be discussed and remedied to save lives and properties. There have been several discussions globally on the health implications of masts on people who live closer to them. These discussions originate from various epidemiologic and scientific studies by Scientists, Medical Professionals and International regulatory organizations.

The Effects

People staying closer to masts may suffer from vibrations, noise pollution, generator fumes, ultraviolet rays and pollution of ground water as a result of oil spillage. Odunola, et al (2015), mentioned that, there is a significant relationship between residents’ health and distance to mast in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. He further mentioned that, it is interesting to note that the perceived impacts, particularly the physiological one is observed to be considerable and statistically significant.

There is also the danger of masts falling on people who stay closer to them. Santini, et al (2003), reported twenty-seven cases of fallen masts in France as a result of weather problems. As reported by the Daily Graphic on 29^th May 2010, a mast collapsed on a high-tension pole carrying 33,000 volts at Mpintsim (Takoradi), depriving more than 33 communities of electricity.  According to Biztech Africa, in 2016, a mast belonging to a bank collapsed in Lagos, injuring a trader and destroying neighbouring properties. In 2018, atlfmonline (https://www.atlfmonline.com/home/24-ghana/6732-western-region-collapsed-telecom-mast-kills-trader-in-takoradi.html) reported that, a collapsed mast led to the death of one person in Takoradi.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006 stated that, there was no evidence to support the short or long-term adverse health effects of radio frequency (RF) signals produced from masts.

Contrary to this, the 2011 report of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); a specialized agency of WHO, classified cell phone and other types of RF and microwave radiation as having the potential to cause cancer in humans

Epidemiologic studies have shown that there are numerous health problems associated with the long-term exposure to masts; especially to those who stay very close to them.

The study by Santini, et al (2002) ,reported number of effects such as tiredness, headache, nausea, sleep disruption, depression, loss of memory, loss of appetite and libido decrease. Also, Navarro, et al (2003), in Spain established a significant relationship between several symptoms of microwave sickness and the microwave power density associated with a base station. Symptoms and signs reported included headache, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, sleepiness, concentration difficulties, depression, and emotional instability.

Abdel, et al (2007), in their Northern Ireland studies observed that residents living in Dunan on districts within 1-5km service radius close to mast location suffered several cancer cases like lings, prostate, breast and lungs cancer. They also suffered ailments like leukaemia, lymphoma and hematopoietic.  Also in the study of Horst, et al (2004), Doctors from Naila (Germany) monitored 1000 residents who had lived in an area around two masts for a decade. In the last 5 years of the study, it was realized that people living within 400 meters of either tower had a newly diagnosed cancer rate which was three times more than those who lived further away. Cancers of the prostate, pancreas, bowel, skin melanoma, lung and blood cancer were all increased, with breast cancer topping the list.

In the study of Germann (2004), blood was drawn from 1018 persons before a mobile phone mast was erected. After 6 to 12 months of turning on the station, the new blood samples showed significant effects as a direct cause of pulsed electromagnetic field. In Kempten West (Germany), blood levels of serotonin and melatonin were measured both before and five months after the activation of a new cell site in 2007.The result showed significant un favourable changes in hormones of almost all the 25 participants who lived within 300 meters (Weep News, 2008).

According to the Government of Ghana Guidelines for the Deployment of Communications Towers, “Some of these concerns particularly, with regard to health are not supported by existing scientific findings”. However, the report spells out requirements for siting towers; including structure, radiation emission and waste management, “to harmonize growth and development on one hand and public safety, perceived or otherwise on the other”

Conclusion

It is evident from the reviewed studies that, people who stay close to masts are at a higher risk of getting different kinds of cancer and other chronic ailments in both short and long terms.

Property owners need to be circumspect in leasing properties for such purposes. They should always think of the public good first. The health and safety of humans cannot be overemphasized.

Masts need to be properly and strongly sited to resist tensile, storms, vibration and other gravitational forces. They should also be sited within a reasonable radius from the activities of humans.

It is incumbent on Regulators to strengthen the requirements for erecting towers and ensure they are strictly applied, to safeguard properties and human lives.

Finally, Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations need to sensitize governments, regulators and the general public on the need to protect lives and properties from the risks associated with masts.

Author: Sherrif Issah – (Consultant @ Digital Jewels Ltd. and Member: Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana)

Email: sherrifi@digitaljewels.net

Mobile: +233243835912

Source: www.iipgh.org

CYBER SECURITY IN GHANA: TALK OR ACTION?

Cisco defines cyber security as “the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks”. Cyber security has become an essential component of our daily digital and cyber life. In today’s world where our daily lives are hinged on connected devices, internet and digital systems, the need for cyber security awareness is paramount. In the cyber space, the damage that a cyber security breach can cause can be huge than the dropping of an atomic bomb into a city. Advanced cyber defense programs benefit everyone whether you are in a tech savvy person, a person who is always connected to the internet, government, policy makers or the ordinary man on the street.

According to the Cyber crime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana lost over USD 105 million to cyber crime at the end of 2018. These figures are the official records from the nation’s elite unit fighting cyber crime. In the previous year (2017), Ghana lost a little over USD 69 million to cyber crime. These figures could be double compared to what have been reported. This is because most firms do not report breaches due to cyber attack for fear of losing their clients. For some time now, Ghana has been fighting what I term the very low-level cyber crime known in our local palace as “Sakawa” or “yahooyahoo”. In this modern world, hackers are stealing data from countries, intellectual properties, secret codes nukes, etc.

In this part of the world, our governments see cyber security threats as secondary compared to gorilla warfare’s or terrorist attacks which are rear. Governments have invested hugely into buying arms, fighter jets, and forming huge armies to protect it land, sea and air. What about forming an army for the cyber space? The absence of cyber army could be attributed to the fact that the leaders or politicians do not see these threats with their physical eyes and the level of destruction it can cause. Not to fault them, it is in most cases, not visible to see the threats that is caused by cyber threats. But as we move towards more sophisticated networked cities with strong digital footprints, we should start to worry about the threats cyber security comes with. In these days, water systems, electricity grid systems, traffic control systems, Toll collection systems just to mention a few are being controlled through remote networked systems. Any breach in any of these systems could have a catastrophic impact on an entire nation.

Ghana is the 9^th ranked nation with highest social media presence by its citizens. This shows the extent of internet penetration and its usage in Ghana. Also, we ranked 89^th (2018) on the global cyber security index initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). On the African continent, Ghana ranks 11^th with Mauritius, Kenya and Rwanda picking the first three positions. On the global front, Ghana is categorized as a “medium” level of commitment. In this category, we are part of countries that have developed complex commitments and engaged in cyber security program and initiatives.

This categorization puts us at far with countries such as Iran, South Africa, Cyprus, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Greece, Malta, Czech Republic, Morocco, Iceland and Nigeria just to mention a few. A review of the indicators that goes into the categorization are the legal frameworks and institutions available in a country to deal with cyber security and cybercrimes, Technical institutions available in a country to deal with cyber crime, Organizational capability and policy coordination’s, Capacity building of professionals dealing directly with cyber security and their know-how, and finally cooperation with partners, countries and sharing information with networks.

A careful critique of these 5 pillars gives a hint about what could have accounted for Ghana’s good showing on the Cyber Security Global index. Firstly, Ghana recently launched an improved Ghana National Cyber Security Policy & Strategy which details of the institutions that would be created and the legal frameworks. This followed by the appointment of a national Cyber Security Advisor and the setting up of the National Cyber Security Council, National Cyber Security Center, National Computer Security Incidence Response Team (CSIRT) and the National Cyber Security Policy Working Group. The setting up of these institutions helped in boosting our ranking.

Ghana, being well-known for taking lead in ratifying UN/AU conventions, did not disappoint and became the 5th country on the African continent to have acceded to the convention on Cyber crime in December 2018 after Mauritius, Senegal, Cape Verde and Morocco. Ghana has also ratified the African Union Convention on Cyber Security & Personal Data Protection, also known as the Malabo Convention. Apart from ratifying conventions and setting up institutions, what are the measures being put in place to safeguard the government, public and private sector from data breaches, and loss of monies from cyber crime. As a cyber security enthusiast, I can see the need to create a cyber crime unit within the Ghana Armed Forces. 

This unit should be equipped and trained to protect the cyber space of Ghana. Recruitment into this unit should not be based on any physical looks (height and built) but rather on the intellect. The most brilliant computer science/engineering students from out nations universities should be poached and recruited into this unit, train them and keep them off the public eye. If the almighty USA can talk of Russian interference in their elections, then it would be very easy for a North Korean or even a Ghanaian hacker to hack into our elections and change results in favor of a candidate. We are developing a world class National ID system which is going to interlink other services, it is time to safeguard the huge data that is being collected by the NIA. Just recently Bulgaria had a breach of a national character where over 5 million personal data of tax payers’ details were stolen.

It is believed that cyber warfare’s and defenses are done in the quiet, but it is my hope that Ghana is not just creating the institutions, ratifying the protocols and going to sleep but rather putting in the hard work by developing the human resource, creating a strong cyber security army which can fight off any offensive from any country when the need arises.

Author: Samuel Hanson Hagan, Member of Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana, and a Telecommunications Consultant

Contact: +233507393640

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – An exposition of the proposed digital payment system

Africa and Ghanaians were thrilled with the news of the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement on the 7th of July 2019. AfCFTA as affectionately called, is a free trade area, outlined in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of the 55 African Union nations. 

The free-trade area is the largest in the world in terms of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organization. For a bit of history, The agreement was brokered by the African Union (AU) and was initially signed on by 44 of its 55 member states in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018. The agreement initially requires members to remove tariffs from 90% of goods, allowing free access to commodities, goods, and services across the continent. AfCFTA as at July 7th becomes the biggest trade agreement signed since the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was established.

For the first time, Ghana was selected to host the an AU independent organization, even though Ghana through it first President (Dr. Kwame Nkrumah), Malcolm X and  Haile Selassie were the founders of the then OAU, it had not benefited from any OAU or AU infrastructure. The siting of AfCFTA secretariat in Ghana has been long overdue and politically expedient.

One of the AU’s affiliated financial institution, the Cairo based African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) on the 7th July 2019 in Niamey, Niger, formally launched The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). According to Afreximbank’s President & Chairman Prof. Benedict Oramah, 

“The PAPSS is a platform that will domesticate intra-regional payments, save the continent more than US$5bn in payment transaction costs per annum, formalize a significant proportion of the estimated US$50bn of informal intra-African trade, and above all, contribute in boosting intra-African trade”. 

This is an effort to create the first continent-wide digital payment system which is expected to facilitate the payment of goods and services in local currencies.

As an ICT practitioner, I am very enthused, and I see PAPSS as a welcoming news. The lack of digital payment systems has been one of the setbacks in the free trade agreements in the current regional trade blocks. There are already free trade agreements for the members of Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, Southern African Development Community, Southern African Customs Union, East African Community and West African Economic and Monetary Union. 

ECOWAS as an example, already has free trade agreements amongst its member states, but due to myriad of issues including the lack of digital payment systems, member states are yet to see the benefits of joining such agreements. A typical example is transferring money from Ghana to someone in Benin through the normal banking system. In the first place, your transaction would take more than 48 hours to reflect in the recipients account. Secondly the chances of your transaction going through an intermediary bank in Europe or UK is high. After the transaction has been completed, the sender and receiver in most cases are burdened with transaction charges.

In Europe, the European Union (EU) as part of their integration process to make the whole of Europe to be seen as one unit, they implemented the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) to simplify bank transfers dominated in euro. The aim of SEPA, like PAPSS is to improve the efficiency of cross-border payments and turn the fragmented national markets for euro payments into a single domestic one. SEPA enables customers to make cashless euro payments to any account located anywhere in the European area. 

The best part of this payment system is that, SEPA guarantees that euro payments are received within a guaranteed time, and banks are not allowed to make any deductions of the amount transferred. SEPA enables customers to make cashless euro payments to any account located anywhere in the area, using a single bank account and a single set of payment instruments. People who have a bank account in a eurozone country, are able to use it to receive salaries and make payments all over the eurozone.

In the spirit of inclusion and working towards a unified AU, operationalizing AfCFTA is just the first step. We look forward for the day we shall have free mobile voice and data roaming (with local data charges for both voice and data)on the African continent. Free movement of persons across Africa by instituting visa free travels for all African passport holders to all African countries. 

Starting from Ghana, we should start looking at scraping charges on the use of ATM’s and point of sale (POS) devices if we are really interested in moving towards a digitalized and cash free Africa. The current charges that are imposed on an ATM card when one uses an ATM machine or POS device is a huge spate in the face on our campaign for moving towards a cashless and digitalized society.

I therefore call upon the implementers of PAPSS to as a matter of urgency,ensure that all banks on the continent get integrated unto the PAPSS platform. Afreximbankas an institution is going to play a crucial role in AfCFTA’s ambition to create a single and biggest market for goods and services. It is also expected that other private entities would step up to deliver rival digital payment platforms for the entire African region. Competition is a good thing and it helps in bringing out the creativity and innovation.

Author: Samuel Hanson Hagan; Member of Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana; Telecommunication Consultant

Contact: +233507393640

Source: www.iipgh.org

DIGITAL SKILLS: AN IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT

The fourth industrial revolution is here with us and we must all be prepared to embrace it. One of its key requirements is digital skills that opens the door to participate and take advantage of this advanced technological era. 

The world is witnessing the fastest industrial revolution since the first revolution, thanks to the rapid technological advancement particularly in the 21st century. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Software Engineering, Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual Reality (VR) and a host of new and emerging technologies are shaping our world and how we conduct our businesses. 

Another very important technological invention in the 20th century is the Internet. It is a connecting infrastructure on which most of these emerging technologies ride and has also been going through transformation with the introduction of Smart phones and other smart devices connected via broadband internet service. The real game changer is the much talked about 5G technology which promises high download and upload speed. 

It is expected that the high speed being offered by 5G will power driverless cars (autonomous vehicles) and big data processing for industries that would help in automation.

Conversations about these advanced technologies are fascinating but there is a huge skills gap globally when it comes to commercial deployment of some of these new technologies. Technology companies are constantly in search of people with expertise to innovate, develop and improve their products and services in their quest to commercialize some of these new technologies. 

According to a recent report by business insider, organizations such as Google, Apple and Netflix don’t require university degrees to hire engineers into their companies, all in an attempt to remove barriers that would prevent them from getting highly skilled individuals with the required digital skills.

Apart from high demand of experts with the technical know-how to develop these technologies, there is also a big gap in the digital skills required for users or consumers of these products and services. Technology is not useful if the intended market does not know how to apply it. This shortfall in digital skills is inhibiting the rapid deployment of technology for accelerated development according to a recent survey by International Finance Corporation (IFC) on sub-Saharan Africa. 

The report indicated that there is a limited access to digital talent although demand in digital skills is expected. Which means if there is no corresponding growth in digital skills workforce, Africa’s economies will weaken in the face of global push for digitization.

The government of Ghana (GoG) has been making effort in its digitization drive with initiatives such as; the launch of the National Property Addressing System to provide digital addresses for parcels of land and properties in the entire country, the implementation of the paperless system at the shipping harbor to improve efficiency, the implementation of the E-Justice system and the E-procurement all attest to the fact that GoG is committed to transforming the economy from an agrarian to a knowledge-based technologically driven one for rapid development. 

Communication sector has also been diversified which allows private sector participation and investment. There are at least five (5) privately owned fiber optics submarine cables terminating at the shores of Ghana which provides internet and connects Ghana to the rest of the world.

There are multinational telecommunication and internet service providers such as MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo, Busy etc. providing fixed/mobile telephony and internet services to consumers across the country with mobile phone penetration above 100% according to the National Communications Authority (NCA).

Despite the infrastructure deployment by both GoG and private sector investments, the digital skills gap is still a major concern to employers. According to IFC 2019 report; “Nearly 20 percent of Ghanaian companies surveyed recruit only internationally for digital skills, largely because they cannot find skilled local talent”. 

The report noted that people in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries would require digital skills training to bridge the demand-supply gap and ensure employers can hire locally, find suitable training for employees, and help workers keep pace with new technology in their industries.

There are three (3) major areas of Digital Skills acquisition programs that would help people to participate and benefit from the technologically advanced world and find decent jobs. They are; Basic Digital Skills, Intermediate Digital Skills and Advanced Digital Skills. 

The basic digital skill is required by everyone to be able to access and use all the services and digital devices available. This includes the ability to use the internet to search for information, operate your phone and use online portals and applications. Intermediate Digital Skills are generally considered the soft skills for employment which includes; ability to use office tools such as Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint, emails etc. 

In addition, ability to use the internet for research and all other basic digital skills. Although most graduates include these computer skills in their resume while applying for jobs, most employers complain that even graduates struggle with intermediate digital skills which slows down their productivity.  

Advanced digital skills category is the skill required for specialists in ICT and it is considered their core occupation. For the advanced digital skills, the individual must be given specialized training with practical experience in a particular domain or field of ICT. Some of the domains are software engineering, cyber security, web development, big data analytics, cloud computing, and search engine optimization etc.

There are available jobs especially for the intermediate and advanced digital skills, however they require hands on experience to be eligible. The youth in particular should embrace Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) as most digital skills jobs are based on these foundational knowledge areas. 

David Gowu, Executive Director (Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana)

Email: david.gowu@iipgh.org

Mobile: +233242773762