Computer scientist recommends manufacture of computer soft/hardware

Accra, Aug. 25, GNA - A Ghanaian professor in Computer Information Sciences in Florida, USA, has proposed the establishment of local companies to manufacture computer soft and hardware systems in the country.

The proposal, under the code name "Government, Academia and Industrial Triangles (GAITs)" seeks to initiate, implement and promote software technology to impact on local and national economy as well as mitigate the threat of rising unemployment.

Dr Patrick Otoo Bobbie, of Florida A&M University, Tallahasee, USA, made the proposal in Accra on Wednesday at a roundtable discussion for partners in the Information Technology sector initiated by National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).

The discussion brought together officials from Network Computer Systems, Enterprise Insurance Company, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Free-Zones Board, the media, Ministries of Trade and Industry and Communications and the Ghana Stock Exchange, among other organisations.

Dr Bobbie said innovations in software have taken a new trend where countries have moved past just importing computers assembled elsewhere to either manufacturing or importing the parts for local assembling. This, he said, is done through the Research and Development (R&D) system by using university and polytechnic students to identify problems of local industries.

There is also the need for linkage building between various partners such as industries, consultants, universities and research institutions with government playing the start-up role by providing both fiscal and physical infrastructure.

The banks would also have to be involved. Dr Bobbie cited the examples of Israel, Brazil and India, that have in the past four years developed their own computer systems which has helped to increase per capita income and gross domestic products (GDP).

He said Israel, with a population of 5.5 million people and a GDP of 73 billion dollars as at 1998, adopted an "incubator concept" that supported fledging entrepreneurs to develop innovative technological ideas and set up new businesses in order to commercialise them.

Government provided fiscal and physical assistance, tools, guidance and administrative support for 26 autonomous companies, which researched into 200 projects.

The companies have come out with 187 programmes out of the 200 and have attracted investments ranging from 50,000 dollars to eight million dollars. Currently, Israel has 100 high technology companies trading on the NASDAQ, an equivalent of the New York Stock exchange.

He said with the right enabling environment and a research and development drive, Ghana can easily achieve this in no time. Nana Dr Kobena Erbynn, Director General of National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), welcomed the idea of local computer manufacturing companies, saying that "computer firms have become only buy and sell companies which does not augur well for the country.

"This is because issues concerning the use of computers and their manufacturing are enormous and Ghana has not even touched the surface of it". Dr Erbynn noted that government could no longer rely on income from the export of gold, cocoa and other raw materials alone.

"We need to look elsewhere to generate enough income for the development of the country." Mr Ben Eghan, Chief Director of the Ministry of Communications, said major projects and policy programmes embarked on by the ministry borders on the issue at stake adding government would do all it could to promote and support the outcome of the discussions.

Officials of the NDPC, as part of the recommendations, were tasked to institute a committee with membership from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the universities and computer associations among other bodies to study and chart the way forward.