African Y2K costs

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Sh4 Billion Spent To Fight Y2K New Vision (Kampala) January 5, 2000 By Geoffrey Kamali

Kampala - About sh4b was spent countrywide for preparations against the Y2K bug, the National Y2K Task Force has said. The amount is equivalent to 1% of Uganda's total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which stands at over sh3.5 trillion, according to the 1999/2000 budget.

Reuters reported yesterday that about US$600b had been spent to immunise computers against Y2K worldwide. The computer bug, earlier anticipated to strike during the transition period, specifically by December 31, 1999, passed without any reported disruption.

Experts attributed the quiet rollover to adequate preparations. The Y2K Task Force chief, Mr. Elisha Wasukira, said on Monday that the 1% is the "acceptable figure, although detailed figures will be ready in two weeks' time."

"We are also interested in (knowing) similar figures but right now we are all preoccupied by monitoring. But that is the acceptable figure," he said.

The exercise involved measure of individual equipment, testing computer systems for compliance, replacement of non-compliant equipment, risk analysis, remediation, conducting workshops and contingency plans.

Various companies contacted by The New Vision were tight-lipped over their individual expenses on Y2K preparedness.

An official with Shell (Uganda), a leading oil company, said the company spent sh1.3b in a four-phase planning exercise, which was accomplished by last June. Caltex. on the other hand, spent about sh300m.

http://www.africanews.org/science/stories/20000105/20000105_feat1.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), January 28, 2000


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