Cybersecurity month: MTN educates public on securing home, office and devices
Nothing is more important in this year’s cybersecurity month, than a focus on ways to cyber secure one’s home and office as working, learning and connecting virtually has become the new normal amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, Covid-19 has made working from home the order of the day, and that has given rise to the need for businesses to establish digital links between the office and homes of individual workers via cyberspace for work to go on, while ensuring employer safety. This gives no business comfort, because in doing so, they risk exposing trade secrets and classified information to the outside world through transfer of information between the office and the home. Whereas working from home was initially viewed as something that was going to impact productivity negatively, it has proven rather beneficial to many businesses, in that, when people work from home, they tend to work even beyond normal working hours, while attending to other home responsibilities. But it still does not take away the security risk that could pose to businesses. There are however very simple ways to secure homes and office, as well as the cyberspace that facilitate communication between the two locations to prevent hacks and interception of classified information. Beside the compelling reason for the working from home to remain amid Covid-19, the new normal now is digital and virtual; so many businesses and individual continue to do many hitherto offline financial transactions, not online. This obviously comes with its own risks of individuals and businesses having their bank and or mobile money wallets details exposed to cyberfraudsters if not well protected. Telecoms market leader, MTN Ghana has therefore put forward a number of ways Ghanaians could effectively secure their homes and offices and prevent any digital exposure and a compromise of the cyberspace between the office and the home. Passwords Firstly, MTN emphasizes the need for one to secure their wireless networks by changing the default administrator password to one’s internet router or any wireless access point, and also give each device and online account its own unique password. “Use a strong and unique password for each device and online account to make it difficult for outsiders to hack you device and or online account and access your vital information,” it said. Connected devices It also urges Ghanaian to ensure that they know all the devices connected to their wireless home network and be sure all those devices are trust. This is important because with a wireless home network like the MTN TurboNet for instance, several individual devices like phones, tablets, laptops and even smart televisions could be connected to it. Sometimes even visitors are given the access to the wireless network and any of the devices could be doing any activity that can pose a risk to others. Indeed, a visitor’s device connected to the TurboNet of this writer once did an online transaction payable with airtime and the system charged the fee, not the airtime of the person who did the transaction, but on the airtime on the TurboNet without the knowledge of yours truly. So it is important to know what each connected device is doing at any time. Regular backup It is also important, according to MTN, to ensure regular backup of important information so that one can always have access to missing information incase of a hack or any challenges. A number of ways to back include saving information on Google Drive. iCloud and or other online channels like in one’s email. The way to do this back ups can be found in phone settings, depending on the phone one uses. What to do is to do a Google Search on “how to backup information online” and follow the lead to do so. You are the shield It is important to remember that fraudster often capitalize on social engineering rather than technical know-how to commit their fraudster. In other words, the attack is mostly targeted at the individual, rather than the networks complex technical platform. In many experiences today, mobile money fraud, WhatsApp account hacks and many others are targeted at individuals and the fraudsters only succeed when the individual display naivity, gullibility and or greed. So the best shield or protection for each person online is the person himself. Each person needs to be vigilant and highly alert to hack and fraud attempts, which come hard on daily basis and in different forms. MTN therefore proposes a few simple tips to enable Ghanaians be on the alert regularly and avoid becoming victims of cyber fraud. No one is off limits The first thing to do is to avoid the wrong mindset that says “it can’t happen to me”. No one is off limits. In less than one week, yours truly had three attempts by fraudsters seeking to hijack my WhatsApp account. A former telecoms executive recently made a post of Facebook telling of how her mobile money wallet and WhatsApp accounts were hacked by a clever fraudster pretending to be a staff of a telco. The fraudster capitalized solely on her gullibility by making her trust him. She only realized it after they had done some damage to her. No one is off limits! Two-step verification Secondly, use two-step verification on all your online accounts – WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and others. What this does is that whenever someone tries to hack your account, the service provide would always send you a secret code (often six digits) and inform you that your account is being re-set. The fraudster would call you and pretend to be helping you by asking you to mention the code to to them. But NEVER-repeat-NEVER mention the secret code to them or anyone for that matter. If you do, your account is gone for good. Bot links Some people are fond of clicking every link they see online – whether on WhatsApp, Facebook, email, Twitter and what-have-you. It is important to be circumspect on what links to click because several of those link can
Ranks in GES and their attached salaries and allowances paid teachers
To be a teacher in Ghana comes with a lot of benefits although the majority complain about the monthly salaries paid to them monthly. The Ghana Education Service (GES) does not only pay salaries to teachers in the various ranks but also pays some deserving allowances to teachers. This post is to enlighten and encourage younger ones who have the interest to work with the GES as teachers in the near future not to give up their dreams because there are major benefits that many teachers won’t disclose to them. This article will mainly throw more light on teachers’ salaries and allowances received by teachers in each of the GES ranks. Firstly, let’s take a look at the ranks and their salaries and look at the allowances in the latter part. GES RANKS OF TEACHERS AND THEIR ATTACHED SALARIES The following are the ranks in the Ghana Education Service (GES). A rank is a hierarchical arrangement of positions in the GES. It is vital to note that in the teaching fraternity, workers’ salaries are determined by ranks. There are ten ranks in the GES. From the top (Highest) to downwards (Lowest) are the ranks. Note that the salaries mentioned in this article start at Grade Base. Grade Base means the initial salaries the below-mentioned ranks receive but as time goes on, every year their steps increase with corresponding money addition. The salary levels start at 25.1, 24.1., 20.1, 18.1. 16.1…etc. Kindly note that these analyses were made in line with the 2021 Single Spine Salary Structure released by the Ministry of Finance. Director General Deputy Director Assistant Director I Assistant Director II Principal Superintendent Senior Superintendent I Senior Superintendent II Superintendent II Superintendent I Teacher DIRECTOR-GENERAL The Director-General is the rank highest in the GES. The rank is based on political appointment by a sitting government upon recommendations by the GES Council. This means that whoever is appointed as a Director General serves for a maximum of four (4) years and then leaves office with the particular government that appointed him/her. The Director-General of GES performs special functions which lead to the implementation of better educational policies in the country. Aside from the above, the DG of GES seeks the promotion, upgrading, and recruitment of graduates from both universities and colleges. The DG is also responsible for negotiating with the government for better conditions of service such as payment of salaries and allowances to teachers. The DG of GES is paid good allowances such as clothing allowances, travel allowances, etc. The salary level of the DG is 25 with an annual salary of GHS75, 050.10. Dividing the annual salary by the 12 months will be equal to GHS6,254.175. Hence the monthly gross salary of the DG of GES is GHS6,254.175. NOTE: Gross salary is the monthly amount salary paid by the Controller And Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) without any deduction. After deductions are made, the amount paid to you is known as the NET SALARY. DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL The Deputy Director-General is the next in command in the absence of the Director-General. In GES, there are two deputy directors. We have the deputy director in charge of quality and assurance and the deputy director in charge of management service. Their sole responsibility is to provide technical and administrative support to the Director-General which will intend to help the Ghana Education Service to achieve its targets. They, therefore, help to coordinate the activities of other divisions under the GES. The salary level of the Deputy Director-General of GES is 24 with an annual salary of GHS65,581.98. Dividing the figure by 12 months will be GHS 5,465.165. This means that the DD receives GHS 5,465.165 as a monthly salary. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR I The responsibility of Assistant Director I is to track the progress of policies implemented by the Ministry of Education. One will have to serve under the Assistant Director II rank for 3 years before qualifying to be promoted to the above rank. Before one can be promoted after he/she has written and passed the annual promotion aptitude test conducted by the GES. The average salary level of this rank is 20 with an annual salary of GHS37,600.45. Dividing this by 12 months will give you GHS3,133.370 as monthly gross. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR II The above rank serves as an assistant to Assistant Director I. They provide assistance to Assistant Director I as they help in discharging the duties and responsibilities. Before one qualifies for the above rank, he/she must serve a minimum of three (3) years as a Principal Superintendent in GES. The salary level of GES staff on this rank is 18 with an annual gross salary of GHS29,1999.72. This means that the monthly gross salary is GHS2,433.31. PRINCIPAL SUPERINTENDENT The Principal Superintendent (PS) rank is attained in GES when one serves for a minimum of 5-years or more under the Senior Superintendent I rank. However, persons who get recruited using their degree certificate are put on the above rank without having to pass through the senior superintendent rank. They are put in charge of managing schools in the circuits and they are also responsible for managing the classrooms. The salary level for the above rank is 16 with an annual gross of GHS23,852.14. Dividing this by 12 months will give you a monthly salary gross of GHS1,987.678. SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT I A teacher qualifies to be put on this rank when he/she has served under the senior superintendent II rank for four (4) years with encouraging work output. They are usually diploma holders from the college of education. Teachers under this rank are placed on the salary level of 15. The annual gross is GHS21,197.30 with a monthly gross of GHS1,766.441. SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT II Teachers who are diploma holders are rightly put on this rank after recruitment by the GES. They are mainly college graduates who graduate with diploma certificates. SALARY LEVEL: 14. ANNUAL GROSS: GHS18,837.96. MONTHLY GROSS: GHS1,569.83 TEACHERT his rank covers unprofessional persons in the GES. Unprofessional here mean individuals who did not study or read education as a course but have found their way to work with the GES. These can be individuals
Shatta Wale, three others to spend one week in police cell
An Accra Circuit Court on Thursday, October 21 has remanded controversial dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale and three others into police custody for a week. His accomplices, Kojo Owusu Koranteng, Idris Yusif and Eric Venator have been charged for abetment of crime are also to spend the next one week in police custody. They pleaded not guilty to the charge. Shatta Wale also pleaded not guilty to the charge of publication of false news and causing fear and panic. The four persons are expected to reappear in court on October 26, 2021. Shatta Wale was arrested on Tuesday after the police announced that they were looking for him over his involvement in the spread of false information that he had been shot at East Legon in Accra. A fourth accomplice who is also a member of Wale’s crew was arrested on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. Prior to his arrest on Tuesday, he apologized to his fans and people who had been affected by the prank in a Facebook post. He made reference to a prophecy that was made by Bishop Stephen Kwesi Appiah of New Life Kingdom Chapel that he would be shot dead on October 18, 2021. Bishop Stephen Kwesi Appiah also known as ‘Jesus Ahoufe’ of New Life Kingdom Chapel who has also been arrested over his prophecy. He was also charged with causing fear and panic is expected to also appear before court today [October 21, 2021].
Cape Coast: President Akufo-Addo apologized for a mistaken promise
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, has rendered an apology to the people of Cape Coast. He says his promise to build a harbor at Cape Coast while campaigning in the run-up to the 2020 elections was a mistake. President Akufo-Addo said, he was only human and could make a mistake at any point in time, saying the initial plan was not to build a harbor at Cape Coast. He made the apology during an interview with PeaceFM on Thursday, October 21, 2021. According to him, the then Candidate for New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised to build a harbor in the Central Regional capital while campaigning in the run-up to the 2020 elections. He further added that the commitment was never to build a harbor, rather, a landing site. However, his apology came as a surprise to the people of Cape Coast as their long-awaited hope was suddenly truncated. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Breaking: Kanu pleads not guilty to FG’s amended charge
As DSS block media coverage, lock out journalists By Ikechukwu Nnochiri – Abuja Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has pleaded not guilty to the seven-count amended charge the Federal Government preferred against him. Kanu, who was docked before trial Justice Binta Nyako, said he was innocent of all the allegations FG levelled against him, after the charge was read to him in the open court. His re-arraingment came on day the Department of State Services, DSS, blatantly refused to allow even a single journalist inside the courtroom. and six other Journalists were intitially cleared at the main gate of the court to enter the premises, upon his arrival at the door leading to the courtroom, arm-wielding operatives of the secret service denied him entry. The operatives insisted their action was based on “order from above”. They made it clear that no Journalist would be allowed to enter the courtroom till the end of the proceedings. “You people can go to your press center and wait till the end of the matter, after then, you will receive briefing on what happened”, one of the hooded operatives stated. Meanwhile, a source inside the courtroom, notified Vanguard that the embattled IPOB leader took his fresh to the amended charge at about 10:45am. The proceeding is still ongoing, as Kanu is expected to push for either his release on bail pending the determination of the case against him, or his transfer from custody of the DSS to a Correctional Center. Security agents drawn from the DSS, the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Army, had as early as 4am, blocked all roads leading to the high court premises which is adjacent the Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters. Though staff members of the court were initially barred by the heavily armed security operatives, they were subsequently cleared to enter their offices after they protested. Stern looking DSS operatives had specifically threatened to deal with any journalist recording or taking pictures of the unfolding drama. Cameramen from major television stations in the country, including those from the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, were ordered to shut down and face it on an uncompleted building opposite the court premises. FG had in the mended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, which was signed by a team of government lawyers led by the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mr. M. B. Abubakar, alleged that Kanu had in furtherance of an act of terrorism, issued a deadly threat that anyone that flouted his sit-at-home order should write his or her will. FG alleged that as a result of Kanu’s directive, banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations were not opened for businesses, with vehicular movements grounded in the South East region of the country. It said the action amounted to an offence contrary to and punishable under 1(2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013. FG alleged that Kanu had “on or about the 28th April, 2015 in London, United Kingdom did in a broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu state and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, referred to Major General Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a paedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil, knowing same to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C. 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”. He was alleged to have committed treasonable felony, an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria He was alleged to had between 2018 and 2021, through Radio Biafra, professed to be a member of IPOB, a proscribed organization in Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 16 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013. In count five of the charge, FG alleged that Kanu had on April 22, 2021, in London, United Kingdom, on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu and other parts of Nigeria, did an act of terrorism “in that you incite the other members (followers) of the Indegenious People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organization in Nigeria, to look for security personnel, their family members through a Radio Biafra on 102.1FM monitored through the IPOB Community Radio, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013. Attached in support of the amended charge dated October 14, included a seven-paragraphed affidavit of completion of investigation deposed to by one Loveme Odubo, a prosecutor in the Federal Ministry of Justice. FG equally lined up five witnesses to testify in the matter, among whom are officials of the Department of State Service, DSS, and one Ronald S. who was identified as the manager of a Hotel in Lagos. —vanguardngr Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Free SHS not funded by LGBTQI countries — MoE Deputy PRO
The Deputy Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Education says that propaganda being churned out by opponents that the funding of the Free SHS program will halt if Ghana’s Parliament passed the proposed anti-LGBTQ bill should be ignored. Mr. Yaw Opoku-Mensah in a media engagement with some journalists in Kumasi said currently, the Free SHS programme is being funded by the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) which is proceeds from the country’s oil resources. He noted that the Free SHS and school feeding programmes are wholly funded by the government of Ghana and not donor-funded by LGBTQ countries as being reported by some online portals. He assured parents and stakeholders that the Free Senior High School initiative is a generational legacy and government will continue to provide the needed resources to keep it running for the benefit of all. Providing an update on the fire that gutted the boys’ dormitory of the Nyinahin Catholic Senior High School (SHS) in the Atwima Mponua District in the Ashanti Region, the Deputy PRO says an investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire and culprits found will be dealt with as prescribed by the law. —Modernghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Former Trokosi Girls Receive Lifeline From MTN Ghana Foundation
MTN Ghana Foundation has supported former Trokosi girls who have graduated from Baptist Vocational Training Center at Frankadua in the Eastern region with start-up equipment and seed capital. The Foundation’s support to the graduates seek to enable them to begin their careers effortlessly immediately after graduation. 15 beneficiaries graduated with certificates in Catering, Dressing Making and Hair Dressing. To ensure they get off to a good start, the MTN Ghana Foundation provided start up equipment made up of gas cylinders and ovens, sewing machines, fabrics, sewing kits, hair dryers, washing base, hair relaxers, towels, rollers stand, hair pomade and some seed capital. The Head of the Baptist Vocational Training Center Rev. Grace Akunnor praised the MTN Ghana Foundation for their support to the graduates. She said “last year due to COVID-19 and lack of funds we could not graduate our beneficiaries. This year, as a result of the timely intervention of the MTN Ghana Foundation we are having this graduation ceremony which is critical for the beneficiaries of the center. We are so grateful you came to our aid in our time of need”. The MTN Area Sales Manager for Eastern and Volta regions Steven Asare, said, “As you step out of this institution, remember today’s graduation marks a new beginning in your life. It is our hope that you will become self-reliant by employing the skills you have acquired to improve your livelihood and that of your community. Do not allow your past to deter you from succeeding in your career. Remember, you have been well-equipped with the skills needed for you to thrive,” he added. The event was attended by a representative from Ministry of Education, MTN Staff, Baptist Women Missionary Union and representatives from the Traditional Area. Since the inception of the MTN Ghana Foundation in 2007, the Foundation has implemented over 157 major projects in areas of Health, Education and Economic Empowerment. These projects are estimated to have impacted over 4 million people across Ghana. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093