Opoku-Mensah says Africa yet to explore S & T, tasks communicators

Ms Aida Opuku-Mensah

A three-day workshop, Monday commenced at the federal capital city, Abuja with a revelation that Africa is the only region yet to explore the great potentials of using science and technology as an engine of growth and development.

Director, Information Communication, Science and Technology Division (ISTD), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mrs. Aida Opoku-Mensah, made this revelation at the three-day workshop on Making Science & Technology Information More Accessible for Africa’s Development, at ECOWAS building, Abuja.

Opoku-Mensah, who was represented by the Regional Advisor, ISTD at ECA, Mr. Thierry Amoussougbo, noted that media needs to do a buy-in into the scientific developments to make the information relevant and access to the people of the continent.

She noted that technology and innovation have served as the foundations of social and economic well-being since the beginning of human civilization, with the birth of modern science in Europe in the seventeenth century, science, technology and innovation (STI).

These, she said, have emerged as essential for creating wealth and improving the quality of life of people and for the advancement of human society.

According to her, the importance of science, technology, innovation and knowledge for development cannot be understated.

"There centrality for the nations socio-economic development is undeniable," she said, adding that African countries with STI capabilities have the capacity to develop and countries without STI capability do not.

"Indeed, Africa is the only region yet to fully exploit the great potentials of using science and technology as an engine of growth and development," she said.

The scale of challenge facing Africa, she said in the area of science and technology is huge with some related to low investment in research and development, inadequate regulatory regimes, poor infrastructural base and a lack of access to helpful scientific ideas.

She pointed out that an estimated that Africa has 83 engineers for every one million people, the developed world as 1000 engineers per one million people.

Equally speaking, the Director and country representative, UNESCO, Dr. Joseph Ngu, said science journalists should stimulate public interest and debate on areas where science and technology could impact on social and economic well-being of the society.

He also charged media practitioners to look beyond the superficial to report o the real impact science and technology has on the people, adding that Africa’s development has been on the front burners of international conferences for decades and many development approaches have been prescribed and administered by experts in various fields of human endeavour.

Participants, he said, seek to support the vision of scientifically led development in Africa, but this could be achieved by intervening in aspect of communication of science to the stakeholders and also the role of science and technology for attaining peace, poverty eradication, sustainable development and promoting a dialogue among different cultures and knowledge systems in Africa.

He pointed out that the systematic application of scientific and technological (S&T) knowledge has been a major factor in the rapid and sustainable economic development of many developed countries, adding that the central role of S & T has therefore been stressed in many international, regional and national sustainable development action plans, such as the Africa’s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan for Action (CPA), the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDgs) and the Nigeria’s National  Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).

ITRealms Online recalls that the workshop was sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Department of Human Resource Science and Technology (HRST) of the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), will organize a science communication training workshop from 17-19 October 2011 in Abuja, Nigeria.

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ICANN to manage time zone database

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has disclosed its intension to manage the operations of an Internet Time Zone Database that is used by a number of major computer systems.

Director of Global Media Affairs, Mr. Brad White, said in a press statement that ICANN agreed to manage the database after receiving a request from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

He also said that the database contains time zone code and data that computer programs and operating systems such as Unix, Linux, Java, and Oracle rely on to determine the correct time for a given location, stressing that modifications to the database occur frequently throughout the year.

“The time zone database is used by a large number of commercial operating systems and the software applications,” said Russ Housely, chairman of the IETF. “Incorrect time zone information will impact many everyday activities, including meeting and conference call coordination, airplane and train schedules, physical package delivery notices, and astronomical observatories.”

For nearly three decades, the TZ Database had been maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers, in particular, Arthur David Olson at the US National Institutes of Health. Olson coordinated the group, managed the data, and created a platform for their release. Olson’s announced retirement prompted the IETF to turn to ICANN to ensure continued operation of the database.

“The Time Zone Database provides an essential service on the Internet and keeping it operational falls within ICANN’s mission of maintaining a stable and dependable Internet,” said Akram Atallah, ICANN’s Chief Operating Officer.

ICANN was formed in 1998 as a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable, therefore, promoting competition and develops policy on the Internet’s unique identifiers.

Noteworthy is that ICANN does not control content on the Internet, thus it cannot stop spam and deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet’s naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet.

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Bayelsa State adopts Zinox Whizkid

The Bayelsa State government has adopted the Zinox Whizkid for the secondary school students, teachers and principals in the state.

The state made this adoption through the wife of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mrs. Alanyingi Sylva, in partnership with Zinox Computers, recently.

This is coming as she donated the Zinox Whizkid to secondary school students, teachers and principals in the state.

A press statement from Zinox Technologies, endorsed by the Communication Advisor, Mr. Echika Ezuka, said Zinox Whizkid described as a wisdom bank, is a high-tech computer loaded with about 2,000,000 e-books, 23,000 audio books in MP3 format covering all subjects, and also over 100,000 past simulation questions from JAMB, NECO, WAEC, and Post-UME.

He quoted the Managing Director of Zinox Computers, Mr. Emomine Mukoro commended the First Lady for acting decisively by joining other national efforts to halt the recurring poor performance in JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and Post UME examinations.

Mr. Mukoro commended Mrs. Sylvia for the passion to revive the dwindling reading culture in Nigeria.

Responding, Mrs. Sylva emphasized her belief in the power of knowledge, called on the students to leverage on the opportunity presented to them.

She called on other organizations, corporate bodies, and multi-nationals to support the noble venture which will spread across the State in a drive to conquer the menace of exam failure in schools.

Further, she said that access to these tools of knowledge would most likely nurture a new generation of Bayelsa graduates from secondary schools and eventually result in a more resourceful and confident citizenry.

The House Committee Chairman in the state House of Assembly on Education, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite charged the students to be focused and take advantage of the opportunity presented to them. The Chairman of SUBEB Bayelsa, Barrister White, commended the First Lady for her efforts in improving the educational standard in the state.

The Chairman of Zinox, Leo Stan Ekeh, commenting on the intervention by the wife of the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mrs. Sylva, said that the adoption of the Zinox Whizkid would lead to changes that could be compared to a miracle.

Ekeh explained that as knowledge incubators, Zinox was always developing platforms that would benefit the entire nation. Leo Stan Ekeh said that as a result of the high failure rate in JAMB, NECO WAEC or Post UME, Zinox decided to develop critical content.

Remmy Nweke

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New Horizons is ATC compliant, bags prize

Lagos-based New Horizons Systems Solutions Limited has been honoured with the Accredited Training Centers (ATC) award for 2011 by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council).

EC-Council is a leading international certification body in Information Security and e-business.

Human Resources Manager, New Horizons Systems Solutions Limited, Mr. Yemi Sokoya made this disclosure at the weekend in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online.

He said that New Horizons, Nigeria was one of the winners of the annual EC-Council global awards for 2011.

The EC-Council awards, he said, recognizes the ongoing commitment of Accredited Training Centers and Certified EC-Council Instructors who have contributed significantly, towards the development of information security community by providing leading EC-Council certification programmes.

He also noted that listed among the Instructors to be honoured in the Circle of Excellence is New Horizons Olumide Ojo, who was nominated together with 22 other instructors across the globe to deliver IT Security Training to EC-Council customers.

According to him, New Horizons was awarded the prestigious 2011 ATC award by EC-Council, as one of the leading training provider of EC-Council certification, for two straight years; hence, being the first company to receive such an award on the African continent in that category twice.

As said by the President EC-Council, Mr. Sanjay Bavisi, this year’s winners were carefully selected from an extensive EC-Council Training Partner network that has over 450 training centers across 87 countries, and a large pool of Certified EC-Council Instructors, after meeting the stringent criteria set by the EC-Council Awards Committee.

He pointed out that the annual EC-Council awards highlight the commitment and achievements of global partners and trainers that have contributed to the information security community.

“We are pleased to honour so many accomplished training providers and instructors that are committed to the betterment of world-class information security education globally. I congratulate all of the winners for their achievements and dedication to the Information Security industry in their respective region,” he said.

Tim Akano, CEO New Horizons, Nigeria, noted that in 2008, his firm was appointed by EC-Council as an Accredited Training Centre (ATC) and master distributor of its training programmes in Nigeria and since then, tremendous results have been recorded in the delivery of e-business courses such as Knowledge Management, Project Management, Cyber Law, Customer Relationship Management, Supply Chain Management and many more in the e-business category, while Certified Ethical Hacking, Licensed Penetration Testing, Certified Hacking and Forensic Investigator Specialist courses are offered in the IT security category.

“These courses are being delivered with a view to empowering students ahead of labour requirements and develop their entrepreneurial competencies” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that EC-Council is a known institution recognized globally for e-business & IT security, maintaining that it is a certification-based training firm with head office in Miami, Florida.

The body focuses on electronic business and information security courses with a widespread clientele ranging from the FBI to the US Army.

Remmy Nweke
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Johnson leads discussion @ WAFICT'11

Mrs. Johnson, ICT Minister

As the third edition of the West African ICT Congress (WAFICT) kicks off tomorrow in Lagos, the Communications Technology Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson has been confirmed as key note speaker at the three-day event in Lagos.
 

The organizers informed ITRealms Online in a press statement at the weekend that key speakers have confirmed their attendance, validating the organiser’s promise of a robust intellectual gathering to chart the course of growth for the sub-region’s ICT industry to be led by Mrs. Johnson.

They would be discussing solutions to broadband challenges in West Africa at the Congress.

To join the Minister at the event with theme, “An Emerging New Frontier: Opportunities and Potentials for Deployment of Broadband Services for Sustainable Growth in West Africa” the organizers led by Mkpe Abang said, is His Excellency Mahesh Sachdev, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria and industry big wigs such as the Executive Vice

Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah; Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Rajan Swaroop; Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Brett Goschen; Chief Executive Officer, Visafone, Mr. Sailesh Iyer and Chief Executive Officer, Phase 3 Telecom, Mr. Stanley Jegede.

The Chairman of Openmedia Group and former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, he said, would join the list of stellar speakers for the three-day WAFICT 2011 conference.

Others, Abang listed to include Group Chief Operating Officer, Globacom, Mr. Mohamed Jameel; Chief Executive Officer, Ericsson Nigeria, Mr. Gary Dewing and Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group, Austin Okere; Rex Mafiana, Country Manager, Netapp; Mr. Logan Pather, CEO, Starcomms; Mr. Gerald Ilukwe, Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone Plc; Dr. Umaru Bindir, Director General, National Office for Technology Acquisitions and Promotions to name a few.

From outside the shores of the country, he said, the Ghana’s Communications Minister, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu; the Director-General of Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), Mr. Paarock Vanpercy, including the Executive Secretary of the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly, Mr. Nnamdi Nwokike, are all set to use the WAFICT Congress to push for broadband development in the sub region.

WAFICT Congress is being organised by Africa’s foremost ICT magazine, IT & Telecom Digest, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).

The Congress will open new ICT frontiers for West Africa with the theme “An Emerging New Frontier: Opportunities and Potentials for Deployment of Broadband Services for Sustainable Growth in West Africa.”

Remmy Nweke
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