News & Events

GHANA AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

Accra, GHANA (December 1, 2011) – Installation of the SkyEdge II system at Superlock Technologies Limited’s (STL) Airport West premises has put Ghana at the forefront of satellite communication.

SkyEdge II is the latest state-of-the-art offering from the satellite technology giant, Gilat Satellite Networks, enabling the delivery of communication services required by business enterprises and government organizations. The system is designed to optimize broadband communication via satellite which means that STL clients benefit from un-interrupted, highly available links to their IT networks and are able to take advantage of high-speed, reliable connectivity.

The SkyEdge II system, or the “HUB”, as it is referred to by industry professionals, is the nerve centre of the satellite communications system, connecting more than 2000 nationwide VSATs or “satellite dishes” to a central location. This means that a client in rural Paga in the Upper Eastern region, for example, can connect to the headquarters’ systems in Accra and perform transactions on line.

According to Dickson Dunyo, STL’s Network Operations Centre (NOC) Support Manager, the system is extremely robust with an automatic self-diagnosis mechanism, changing weather condition adaptability and dynamic power output. The adaptability of this system is an advantage in the tropical Ghanaian climate which experiences torrential rain that would otherwise affect the quality of the link.

But like having a bright, new, shiny sports car and NO driver’s license, having state-of-the-art technology without the qualified human resources to power it, would make it all completely pointless! STL Managing Director, Mr. Yaron Tal, highlights that STL not only employs more than 400 Ghanaians across the various departments, recruiting the best and brightest talent Ghana has to offer, but also provides an extensive training program and skills transfer to enhance employees’ knowledge and capabilities thus ensuring high quality service delivery to all clients.

The investment in Ghana’s communication infrastructure allows STL to offer all its clients a superior service and places Ghana in the privileged position of being the satellite communications leader in the West African region.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: AN EXERCISE IN COMMUNITY BUILDING

Accra, GHANA (February 27, 2012) - Corporate social responsibility is an organization's obligation to ensure that balance between the company's economic objectives and the welfare of the society and the environment is maintained. Martin H. Fischer, an American physician and author, said that "A machine has value only as it produces more than it consumes – so check your value to the community." Mr Yaron Tal, Managing Director of Superlock Technologies Limited (STL), totally agrees with this philosophy. Through the establishment of his brainchild, the "STL Foundation," the implementation of this social responsibility philosophy has been facilitated.

Superlock Technologies Ltd. started its business in Ghana more than 8 (eight) years ago and over this period, has side-by-side with its economic growth, ensured that the corporate growth of the company creates a spin-off for the community in terms of development, growth and empowerment. Management's philosophy is evident in their passionate explanation that "It's important to give back to the community. We help where we can, especially in the field of education and health."

STL has undertaken a number of social betterment projects including assistance to individuals for medical treatment, refurbishment of schools, funding of a mobile clinic, sponsorships and donations of computer equipment and numerous other humanitarian gestures. STL's first big project was to adopt one of the most disadvantaged schools in the Greater Accra Region, the Oyibi Junior Secondary School. After mapping the needs of both teachers and pupils, STL renovated the old school building, installed glass windows, lights and fans, connected the school to electricity and water, constructed a computer laboratory and library and furnished the school with desks, chairs and cupboards for both teachers and pupils. The company continues to service the school’s ongoing expenses and reviews additional requests for assistance on an individual basis. Since 2007, STL has been funding and supporting the Gye Nyame Mobile Clinic. This is an initiative spearheaded and run by two foreign doctors, Dr Britta Schwartzman, a pediatric surgeon and her husband, Dr Ori Schwartzman, a neurology and psychiatric specialist. The mobile clinic operates in the Ashanti region and provides medical attention to the residents of rural villages for whom regional clinics and hospitals are inaccessible. As general practitioners the doctors have treated countless infants and children with anemia, malaria, typhoid fever, diphtheria, cholera and AIDS while as specialists in their respective field, they have performed both minor and complex surgical procedures as well as provided treatment and therapy for psychological and mental afflictions.

STL’s short term vision for supporting and funding this clinic is to provide access to medical care and improve health care services in the rural village populations. Its long term vision is to benefit these communities by empowering local medical practitioners with the knowledge, skills transfer and experience to be self sufficient and medically effective. STL continues to facilitate the provision of health care services in an ever growing number of rural communities.

Most recently, STL completed a total refurbishment of a school located in Atokor. The school structure appeared to be greatly compromised with large horizontal cracks appearing throughout the entire building, roof pillars and reinforcements eroding and rusting to the core and holes in the roof and floor making the school a dangerous and hazardous environment for the children and the teachers. STL set to work on repairing and refurbishing the school to create a safe and sound environment for the children of the village. The school structure was reinforced and in some cases, even re-built; the roof was completely replaced; Superlock doors were installed in all of the classrooms; windows and shutters were replaced; the floors were re-surfaced and a brand new computer laboratory was built, furnished and equipped with computers.

Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick, said “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” The various Corporate Social Responsibility programs implemented by SuperLock Technologies Ltd. nurtures communities health, strengthens educational foundations and empowers individual Ghanaians as well as communities. In short, the concept of social responsibility is a modern construct based on the age old African philosophy of “Ubuntu” which, when roughly translated, means “I am, because you are”.