Exhibitors introduce new products at AITEC 2000
Market Index bounces back on the back of SCB and MOGL
Ghana records gains in gold production
Three Information Technology (IT)
companies, Marles Limited, Network Associates and Reiss Information Systems
(RIS) on Wednesday launched new IT products at the four-day West African
Computing and Telecommunications Conference and Exhibition in Accra.
About 25 IT companies from South
Africa, Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States of America and Ghana are
attending exhibition organised by the African Information Technology
Exhibitions and Conferences (AITEC): AITEC 2000.
Ghanaian-based Marles Limited
introduced for the first time on the local market, Panda anti-virus solution
software, which is designed to scan computer programmes, detect, identify and
disinfect every programme that is infected with a virus capable of destroying
stored data.
Mr. Lesley Osei, President and
Chief Executive of Marles Limited, said it could be installed on both single
PCs as well as on mass servers for a computer network in offices.
He described a computer virus as a
miniature programme, put on-line by unidentified persons, which replicates
itself and performs a number of functions, usually harmful to computer data,
without the users awareness. Some of the latest viruses are: "I love
you", "I love that" and "pretty pack."
South African-based Network Associates
introduced Dr Solomon's Total Virus Defence (TVD) Software, which is able to
prevent a virus from entering existing information when 'downloading', from the
Internet or from an on-line mailbox.
Ms Karla De Jong, Systems Engineer
of Network Associates, said the TVD comprises anti-hacking software and
firewalls, adequate enough to prevent all kinds of viruses from damaging
important information.
She noted that 4,500 computer
viruses are discovered every month world-wide, and the value of damage caused by
viruses to computer software, currently stands at 12.1 billion dollars, rising
from 7.6 billion dollars in the middle of last year.
Ms De Jong blamed most of the
virus occurrences on hacking by unidentified persons, usually young people. She
said Network Associates is responsible for dealing with about 60 per cent of
computer viruses worldwide, through Dr Solomon's TVD.
RIS, the IT outfit of Reiss and
Company Ghana Limited, launched two products. The first is the PC pen, designed
to enable the user to write on the computer monitor, after which the written
information is converted into a word document.
They also launched a computer
security device, which is able to detect fingerprints making it difficult for
unauthorised persons to enter restricted files on a computer.
Commander Pious M. G. Griffiths,
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, called on IT companies to intensify the
fight against computer viruses to protect information and cut down on the cost
of operation.
Cdr. Griffiths observed that piracy
and the violation of downloading rules are other causes of occurrence of
computer viruses.
and appealed to computer as well
as Internet users to adhere to the rules guiding the downloading process and
desist from piracy to avoid the occurrence of viruses.
Nii Adjei Boye-Sekan, Chairman of
the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Telecommunications, observed with regret
that though IT is being applied in both the financial and agricultural sectors,
the current state of affairs in the two sectors, does not correspond with the
application.
"While financial institutions
are making very high profits through the application of IT, the agricultural
sector, especially cocoa, continues to record very low yields in terms of
revenue, in spite of the use of IT."
He appealed to financial
institutions to show some commitment to the agricultural sector through
investments, and assured them of the government's preparedness to institute
legal and other measures to protect their investment. Exhibitors at AITEC are
offering discounts on products.
GRi.../
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 May 2000
Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) and
Mobil Oil Ghana Limited (MOGL) made big gains at mid-week trading on Wednesday
that saw the market index gaining 4.03 points.
Losses on Monday by four equities,
including SCB, which went down by 500 cedis, pushed the All-Share Index down by
6.65 points.
Despite a 200-cedi loss in
Aluworks Ghana Limited (ALW) on Wednesday, gains in the share prices of MOGL
and SCB lifted the market capitalisation to 3,554.76 billion cedis from
Monday's 3,547.19 billion cedes.
The GSE-All Share Index, the main
market indicator ended up at 811.60 points from 807.57 The change in the year
to date now stands at 10.25 per cent as against 9.70 per cent registered at the
previous session.
Volume of shares traded climbed to
65,000 from the previous close of 58,900. Total shares posted, however,
declined from the last trading level of
2.080 million to close mid-week 1.737 million. This is far higher than
demand, which closed the day lower at 159,000.
A total of 176,800 shares were
demanded at the beginning of the week. In the broader market, there were three
price changes - two up and one down.
SCB shares bounced back to regain
the 500 cedis it lost on Monday to close 22,000 cedis.
MOGL was 600 cedis stronger at
17,100 cedis.
The only loser was Aluworks (ALW).
It lost 200 cedis to close mid-week trading at 2,600 cedis.
The following are the last prices
of listed equities in cedis:
ABL 530
AGC 18,600
ALW 2,600 -200
BAT 440
CFAO 38
EIC 1,880
FML 1,000
GBL 1,400
GCB 978
GGL 975
HFC 910
MGL 200
MLC 150
MOGL 17,100 +600
PAF 300
PBC 515
PZ 800
SCB 22,000 +500
SPPC 150
SSB 1,998
UNIL 1,850
UTC-E 125
CMLT 422
GRi.../
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 May 2000
Ghana produced 2.5 million ounces of gold last year making it the tenth largest producer in the world, Mr. James Kwamena Anaman, acting President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines said on Wednesday. The figure is seven per cent more than the 2.3 million ounces recorded in 1998.
Speaking in an interview with the GNA in Accra, Mr. Anaman said Ghana's position as a gold producer is quite pronounced and efforts should be made to maintain the gains so far made.
Mr. Anaman said the fall in the price of gold on the world market calls for innovative approaches to solving problems in the mining industry to ensure that the country retains its position in gold production and expressed regret that many companies are folding up as a result of the adverse market price for gold, which is eroding their gains.
Mr. Anaman said in the face of low investment flows to the gold mining sector, and at a time other companies are pulling out, production levels might fall in the long run and this may impact negatively on the foreign exchange earnings of the country.
"The impact of this on the national economy is obvious; job losses and increased unemployment rates since the mining sector employs a bulk of the country's manpower. This I believe will not augur well for the nation."
On the effect of the depreciation of the cedi on the operations of the mining companies, he said the government's decision to allow the companies to retain part of their earnings abroad had helped cushion the effects of the shocks.
He said this arrangement is helping the companies to import equipment for their operations adding that the policy must be maintained to prop up the companies.
GRi.../