Don’t outsource digital space - Dr Quaynor entreats government
A scientist and software engineer credited with pioneering Ghana's first internet connectivity from 1993 to 1995, Dr Nii Narku Quaynor, has entreated the government not to outsource it's digital space, else it risks paying dearly for it in the future.
He said the continuous reliance on foreign services would eventually comeback to haunt the country, adding that it was time to "believe in Ghana's brilliance".
"We cannot afford to outsource this critical industry and continue relying on foreign services," Dr Quaynor, founder of Network Computer Systems, said in Accra last Thursday.
He was delivering his inaugural lecture as an inductee of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences on the topic: "The three phases of connectivity: Ghana's scientific and political journey to the internet."
In attendance were legal practitioner, Tsatsu Tsikata; former Vice-Chancellors of the University of Ghana, Legon, Emeritus Professors Clifford Nii Boye Tagoe and Ivan Addae Mensah.
Others were Nana Prof S. K. B. Asante, Asokore Manhene; former Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison, and Nii Kwabena Bonney, Osu Alata Mantse, among others.
The journey
Dr Quaynor gave the trajectory of how the journey of connecting Ghana to the rest of the world started and the encouragement from the late former President, Jerry John Rawlings, to the success story.
He also paid glowing tribute to the renowned Ghanaian scientist, Prof F. K. Allotey, for encouraging him to take up the challenge.
Dr Quaynor was the founder of the Computer Science Department of the University of Cape Coast, where he has been teaching since 1979.
He further helped to establish key regional organisations, including the African Network Operators Group, and also served as founding Chairman of African Internet Numbers Registry.
Dr Quaynor was also involved in the formation of the African country code top-level domain names, the African research and education network, the Africa Computer Emergency Response Team, the Africa Top-level domain and African Registrars.
Self-belief
Dr Quaynor, who is the first Ghanaian PhD holder in computer science, said scientific actions superceded gratifications of successful shows, adding that Africa's digital development "will rise on the shoulders of its own".
"No one can take better care of your precious items than yourself -- investors look at how you treat your own when they do risk analysis before investing," he said.
"Did we let go too easily, did we open up too much," Dr Quaynor wondered how the rest of the world appeared to have overtaken Ghana in the industry.
He called for collaboration between universities, the private sector and policy makers to prop up the space since none could do it alone.
Widely recognised as the "Father of Internet," for his pioneering role in helping develop the internet and expanding it on the continent, Dr Quaynor challenged students to believe in themselves to help re-shape the world.
