General News of Saturday, 25 May 2002

Source: times.

Quack computer experts flood the market

Dr Nii Narku Quaynor, Executive Chairman of Network Computer technology Systems (NCS) has said that there is an influx of quack computer technology experts in the country. He indicated that most of the quacks who claim to be experts in the field did not know much more about computers than how use them.

"There is a difference between knowing how to use computers and being an expert in computer technology"; he stated. In an interview with the Ghanaian Times after a presentation at a forum orgainised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIMG) in Accra on Wednesday, Dr Quaynor said that the quacks were taking advantage of the country.

Describing the situation as "intellectual disorder," he explained that what was compounding the problem was the lack of adequate references against which their activities could be checked. That, Dr Quaynor said, was because the country's universities and other technical training institutions had not been able to produce many computer technology graduates.

He therefore advised the public to be wary of the activates of such quacks and asked the public to possibly check their qualifications before contracting for jobs. The solution, he noted could be found when a sizeable proportion of Ghanaians become computer and information technology literate.

In his presentation, Dr Quanor urged the youth especially in training institutions, to have a broad knowledge on their respective disciplines before specializing in particular areas. The forum which was attended by marketing students from Accra Polytechnic, Institute of Professional Studies, University of Ghana, Legon and other educational institutions was on the topic, "the success story of the marketing man and woman of the year 2000."