A Computer Science Expert and Engineer, Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor has cautioned Ghanaians against over-reliance on foreign services in the internet and digital industry, saying it is dangerous risk to the future of cyber operations in the country. He said Ghana has abundant human resources and technical experts specialised in computer technology and its associated networking systems and the country must make use of these local talents. Dr. Quaynor was delivering his inaugural lecture in Accra yesterday. He said digital development by local experts demands effective collaboration of all stakeholders including government to make it work sustainably.
The inaugural lecture of Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor was not just a learning platform but an opportunity to honour him as the first Computer Scientist to introduce internet services to Ghana between 1993 and 1995. He was the first Ghanian to acquire a PhD in Computer Science from the State University of New York, USA. Among his numerous achievements, he was a pioneering founder of the Computer Science Department at the University of Cape Coast and in 2007, he won the Jonathan B Postel Award by the Internet Society for his pioneering work in advancing Internet services in Africa. Dr. Quaynor’s lecture took participants through the history of computer science introduction in Ghana which begun from 1972 through to 1995 when the country achieved full Internet connectivity. Dr. Qyaynor made a passionate appeal to government to seriously tap into the knowledge and services of local scientists to develop Ghana’s digital industry.
” Continuous reliance on foreign services is a risk and we shall pay dearly for it in future. We must believe in Ghana’s brilliance… No one can take better care of your precious items than yourself. Investors first look at how you treat your own when doing risk analysis before investing.”
Dr. Quaynor added that there must be strong collaborations between digital players from academia, industry and the government to streamline cyber operations and computer networking in order to attract the needed investment and regulation of digital systems.
The inaugural lecture for Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor was on the theme: The three phases of connectivity; Ghana’s scientific and political journey to the Internet.
Author: Jonathan Thompson.