'Don't Use Internet For Sakawa'
STUDENTS IN the country have been cautioned against using the internet to engage in cyber fraud to get rich overnight, known in local parlance as 'Sakawa.'
The Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu, warned students not to try to use the internet for any criminal activity so as to avert having an issue with the law.
He gave the caution during the official launching of telecommunications infrastructure and services in the Bonsaaso Millennium Village Cluster in the Amansie West District of Ashanti region, which is one of the remotest parts of Ghana.
Made possible via a collaboration between telecommunication giants Zain Ghana Limited and Ericson, a leading mobile phone producer, the project seeks to enhance economic and social development for the over 30,000 people living in the six communities of the area.
He admonished students to use the internet for research and other educative purposes, to help them improve significantly in their various courses of education.
Telecommunications, Mr. Iddrisu noted, was a major tool in the eradication of adverse poverty and promote wealth on the Africa continent, imploring the youth who are the future leaders to dedicate their time in studying toward that field.
The Communications Minister announced that government would support the 'one laptop per child' project initiated by their predecessors to help make every child in the country computer literate.
In addition, government, he disclosed, would next year launch 'E-School' Project from the primary to Senior High School level, ostensibly to create a comprehensive approach to make laptops accessible to every Ghanaian child.
The Communications Minister lamented the exorbitant cost of broadband services in the country, noting the trend was unacceptable which should be halted in earnest.
Government, he said, was ready to support and provide modern infrastructure which will ensure easy accessibility to broadband use in the country.
As part of the project, Zain Ghana has provided closed user group SIM cards to health staff in the area whilst Ericson has also provided free mobile phones which enable them to communicate with their colleagues in the health and emergency services at no cost.
Since the provision of the free phones and SIM cards, residents of the area told DAILY GUIDE that their accessibility to ambulance during emergency cases has improved significantly.
CEO of Zain Africa Chris Gabriel described mobile phone as a powerful tool in fighting poverty on the continent, noting the project would help put the children in the area on the same platform t as their colleagues in the big cities in the accessibility of quality education.
Zain, he said, would continue to introduce innovative products that would not only deliver a quality network but help create better and wonderful services to its clients.
On his part, Vice President of Ericson Africa Lars Linden said his outfit was proud to be associated with such a humanitarian project which aims at fighting poverty and improving health via telecommunication.
From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Watereso, Ashanti