Day: May 22, 2024

As part of efforts to strengthen Africa’s digital landscape and foster economic advancement, Academic City University College has introduced an innovative MSc Cyber Security programme to safeguard Africa’s digital infrastructure and drive innovation.

In today’s interconnected world, cyber security is important for long-term growth and global competitiveness. By introducing the MSc Cyber Security, Academic City aims to equip graduates with advanced cyber security expertise, which fosters critical analysis and practical skills to combat evolving threats in digital landscapes.

This programme will enable students to develop practical cyber security analysis skills through hands-on training and real-world scenarios, addressing the complexities of cyber threats.

Emphasising multi-dimensional problem-solving, the curriculum provides students with versatility to tackle diverse cyber security challenges and insights into risk management, ensuring a holistic approach to cyber defense.

In 2023, ISC2 estimated the gl
obal cyber security workforce to be 5.5 million, with a growth of 8.7% between 2022 and 2023, adding nearly 440,000 new positions. Additionally, all regions experienced growth in cyber workforce size in 2023, with the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions leading with an annual increase of 11.7% and 11.8%, respectively.

Speaking on this new programme, Prof. Fred McBagonluri, President of Academic City, remarked, ‘As the African continent continues to embrace digital transformation, the introduction of our cyber security programme signifies our desire to empower individuals and organisations to thrive in an increasingly digitised world.’

According to him, the programme aims to help address the critical need for safeguarding sensitive information, which is crucial for economic growth and attracting investments.

‘This innovative programme promises to establish a robust digital infrastructure for the continent’s future prosperity,” he added.

David Gowu, Executive Director of the Institute of ICT Profe
ssionals Ghana (IIPGH), stressed how important it is to have cyber security experts in a world where technology is changing so quickly.

“As businesses deal with the constant threat of cyberattacks, it is crucial for business owners to empower employees with the necessary knowledge and skills to help protect their digital assets.”

He commended Academic City for introducing the MSc in Cyber Security to provide professionals with the skills they need to deal with cyber security problems.

“I am very optimistic that this programme will give professionals the training they need to confidently get through the complex cyber security landscape,” he said.

The two-year MSc Cyber Security programme will start in September 2024. To qualify for the program, an applicant must have a BSC from an accredited university with a minimum of second-class upper or lower.

Source: Ghana Web

Mr Richard Dzakpa, the third accused person in the trial of Dr Ato Forson, a former Deputy Minister of Finance, says the government and Big Sea both agreed on the specifications of the ambulances to be imported.

He confirmed that the agreed specifications were specified in the contract between the Ministry of Health and Big Sea.

Dr Forson was granted a self-recognisance bail of GHS3 million for allegedly wilfully causing financial loss of 2,370,000 euros to the State.

He is also facing an additional charge of ‘Intentionally misapplying public property contrary to section 1 (2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 140).’

Mr Dzakpa was also granted bail of five million Ghana Cedis with three sureties, one of whom must be justified with documents of landed property.

Mr Dzakpa, answering questions in a cross-examination led by Dr Ali Bamba, the Counsel for Dr Forson, said the specifications were in an exhibit before the court, which had the specification and terms sheet.

He said based on exhibi
t L which was the specifications proposed to the government which culminated into exhibit V which was the contract.

The accused person said exhibit Z, the first, was about the body which had to do with the external aspect of the ambulance and when looking at exhibit V, it also still talked about the body, the word ‘Ambulance’ how it should be written or designed was not part of the terms agreed by the parties neither was the name ambulance and call number specified and how it should be designed and written.

Mr Dzakpa said in exhibit V, no working light requirement was in the specifications agreed upon by both parties, so Exhibit Z was talking about a requirement that was not agreed to by both parties.

‘Under the cockpit, that requirement is not prescribed in exhibit V under the body,’ he said.

He said so in a nutshell, comparing exhibit Z ambulance body requirement vis a vis exhibit V body requirement both were completely different.

Mr Dzakpa said the body requirement of exhibit Z was not what the govern
ment signed with Big Sea to manufacture; hence, this body requirement aspect of exhibit Z was not binding on Big Sea and as such was aliened to exhibit V.

The accused person said because the pre-shipment inspection was not done and it did not stop Big Sea from executing the other parts of exhibit v, did not stop Big Sea from going ahead to ship the ambulances because it was the government that refused to do the pre-shipment inspection.

He said when the first 10 ambulances arrived at the port and the bill of laden duly submitted to the Ministry of Health, they again did not proceed to the port to protect the ambulances.

The accessories of the first 10 ambulances were stolen and apart from the accessories being stolen, the inlet compartment was vandalized at the port.

He said the post-inspection delivery report was carried out only on the first 10 ambulances and not overall 30 ambulances that were involved.

Asked whether all the medical accessories have arrived in the country, the accused person said there
were two issues.

He said the medical equipment of the first 10 ambulances of which exhibit Z was reported to have been stolen at the port.

He said later the rest of the 20, making 30, were not part of the ambulances when they were shipped.

The accused person said this was because the Ministry of Health had agreed with the supplier to ship the next 20 without the accessories and ship the accessories separately in a container because of the incident of the first 10 ambulances.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation has begun the training of thousands of pupils in the areas of Information Communication Technology (ICT), reading, and cinema at Sechi, a farming community near Effiduase in the Sekyere East District of the Ashanti Region.

The two-week training program, which commenced on Monday, May 20, 2024, allowed basic school pupils to use laptops and computers for the first time.

The project is being led by the Otumfuo-Agroecom Mobile Library Project (OAMLP), a subsidiary of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation, in collaboration with Agroecom Ghana, a renowned cocoa-buying company.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of the project, the Stakeholder Relations Manager for Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Kwabena Owusu Ababio, said the brain behind the move was to ensure less fortunate students in deprived areas get access to modern technologies in education.

He added that the foundation wants students in rural areas to have the same learning conditions as their peers in urban areas.

He also
stated that the foundation wants to inculcate the habit of reading and the use of ICT and its related techniques in rural communities.

Mr. Ababio, however, commended Agroecom Ghana Limited for teaming up with the foundation, adding that the company has, for the past six to seven years, provided financial support to the foundation to provide quality and affordable education to pupils in the country.

For his part, the District Education Director for the area, Williams Brako Agyapong, praised the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation and Agroecom Ghana Limited for the initiative.

He described the move as apt, adding that it will provide a huge platform for deprived children to learn.

Source: Ghana Web