Professor Nii Narku Quaynor of the Computer Science Department of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), was on Wednesday honoured for his dedication and contribution towards information and communication technology (ICT) development.
He was honoured by the Computer Science and Information Technology Student’s Association and the Students’ Representative Council of UCC.
Prof. Nii Quaynor, who is a graduate from Dartmouth College with B.A in Engineering Science and Ph.D in Computer Science, was presented with a Citation at a ceremony held at UCC.
The Citation recognised his technical excellence and pioneering role played in the nurturing of the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology at UCC.
It also described him as a dedicated and hardworking scientist and engineer and lauded his contribution to internet development and furthering the understanding of ICT and its application in Africa for nearly two decades.
The Citation also recognised his contribution towards the building of some important institutions that make the internet ecosystem in Africa.
“Your role played in the development of internet in Africa and your dream for the continent’s digital future would be continued by many and will be worldly recognised by all,” it said.
Professor Quaynor thanked the students for the gesture and said the repository of knowledge was not in the mind or book alone but in the collective networking between academia and industry.
He said his interest in computer science, coupled with commitment and hard work, played a vital role in his feat and urged students not to limit their dreams of becoming Information Technology giants in future.
Prof. Quaynor, who is also a board member of the Ghana News Agency, tasked the students to do their best in their chosen area of studies to enable them to move higher.
Dr Sani Mohammed, President of the Internet Society of Ghana, who presided, commended the students for honouring Prof. Quaynor saying “a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for”.
Professor Quaynor was also the recipient of the Internet Society’s prestigious Jonathan B. Postel Service Award in December 2007 for pioneering work in the advancement of internet in Africa. He was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in August 2013.
He is currently the Chairman of Ghana Dot Com, President of the Information Technology Association of Ghana and serves on a number of ICT related boards which includes the United Nations Secretary General Advisory Group on ICT and the World Bank Infodev.
