Dr. Vincent Asor is the chairman, Education and Manpower Services, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), is the umbrella organization of all Information Technology Professionals, Interest Groups and Stakeholders in Nigeria.
Asor specializes in Solid Dynamics, Mathematical Modeling and Simulation. After 21 years in the oil and gas industry, Shell International, in particular, he retired on February 29, to focus on IT practice covering systems design, development- support and planning.
The dogged IT expert has spent 23 years in the industry.
On the wake of drafting a national ICT policy for the country, spurred by the birth of the Ministry of Communications Technology, he has been vocal on what should form the basics of the process. He spoke with peter ugwu.
National ICT Policy Thrust: Panacea to End Nigeria's ICT Consumerism
If the policy is clearly stated right from the beginning, it is capital YES!!! That is, the policy document should be used by the government to set goals and to declare government’s intentions.
Your Focus Addressing challenges of Key Terms Like Computer Penetration
I spoke on this during the public forum drawing from the work of Lanre Ajayi. Penetration, Governance and Outsourcing wasn’t obvious and the following submission was made: On Computer Penetration, this must be seen as the measurement index for the nation’s e-Readiness. Every Nigerian can own a computer in the long term. But within the time frame of this policy, let there be a realistic Computer penetration goal. Again, like Lanre Ajayi suggested in his submission which I am drawing largely from, we can set a penetration of say 20 in 100 people which is still less than half of the telephone penetration (telephone density) of about 50 in 100 that we have achieved. To achieve this target, we can then begin to say things like: Government shall ensure that all students from primary to University own a computer and so on using related funding organs like NITDEF, USPF, ETF and PTDF.
Broadband
The policy should be sacrosanct on broadband penetration and a set target made. The set target is realizable as a function of the set goal of computer penetration.
Internet Governance
There was no mention of Internet governance. This should be clearly addressed. By internet governance or e-government is a general term describing the use of technologies to facilitate the operation of government and the disbursement of government information and services. It deals heavily with Internet applications to aid in governments, but also covers a number of non-Internet concerns. In the general sense, e-government can refer to such mundane uses of electronics in government as large-scale use of telephones and fax machines, surveillance systems, tracking systems such as RFID tags, and even the use of television and radios to spread government-related information. In this sense, e-government is not a new phenomenon by any means. The use of radio waves to spread disaster warnings, or to give information on voting, is a facet of e-government that has been in use for many years. In many countries with state-operated media, the entire media becomes a form of e-government, helping to spread pro-government messages. However, internet governance helps in government tracking systems of citizens, omnipresent surveillance and biometric identification are some e-government applications that have many privacy advocates concerned about the growing role of e-government. So, with the growing pervasiveness of the Internet, new opportunities are becoming available for managing the business of government online. The disbursement of social security, the handling of government works projects, and providing information on representatives online are all examples of e-government in action. In essence, internet governance should be perceived as a human right platform in governance; channel of informing the people on the activities of the government, but not without checkmating abuses.
On Outsourcing
On outsourcing, the submission is that there is no outsourcing policy in Nigeria. The opportunity is here and we should create one in this document so that both local and foreign investors can be attracted into this segment with the objective of creating jobs for our people and increasing Information Technology (IT) contribution to our GDP. In fact, is quite expedient that the policy, at its incubating stage addresses the aspect of making the ICT sector become viable for the academia and investors; that is the panacea to ensure we migrate from a consuming nation in terms of ICT products and services to become a manufacturing nation.
Fears and Optimisms of Collapsing Regulatory Bodies Like NCC, Nipost
We must get it right first time, otherwise, we will be messed up big time. A regulatory body is a regulatory body. It is set up by an act of parliament. You cannot for instance say the Computer Professions registration council of Nigeria (CPN) which is the regulatory body for all IT practice is now department of what? No, no. That is like saying the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) is now a department in the Ministry of Works, you know. There is something we are not getting right and we must be properly tutored in this thing. Look at two simple cases: Firstly, Convergence is emphasized in so many parts of the document. The draft policy appears to posit that having a converged regulatory structure implies industry convergence. While the enabling environment might be an influencer, convergence as an industry trend is the outcome of the inherent logic of technology innovation and free market dynamics. Convergence in the ministry does not mean convergence in the industry. Secondly, the other case is that of National information Technology Development Agency (Nitda). Sufficient attention must be given to Nitda in our Policy document. It must be recognized that Nitda is the hub for IT Development in Nigeria. Roles must therefore be rationalized and properly defined to strengthen her role for the diffusion of Information Technology in Nigeria. As long as these knotty issues are addressed once and for all, there are no fears. This regulator talk is laughable and people don’t want to be sincere. There is already a regulator. It is Computer Professions registration council of Nigeria (CPN). All we need to do is to rally round the Minister, support her and help her to perform her roles as established by the Act that created the new Ministry. CPN is to the Computer Profession what COREN is to the Engineering Profession. So, what regulator are we discussing again?
Impact of Existing IT Policy Document on the Current Reform
Prior to the creation of the new Ministry, there existed an IT policy document. The ‘converged’ new Policy should start from there and then incorporate others like Communications, Postal, etc. It can also of course be the other way round too. Take the policies from the other arms, remove redundancies and produce a sweet policy document. We shall get there!!!
ICT Ministry Redirecting Mindsets in the Industry
IT rules the world. I have not thought of what can beat this dominance. The Honorable Minister is already telling everyone who cares to listen. Her outreach program is unbeatable. See how she started – open forum; and she has continued in this stead. We are on the right track. Mindsets will change accordingly. She has my unalloyed support and loyalty.
Recommended ICT Benchmark set for the Nation
There is nothing new in benchmarking. Unless you are saying we should create a Nigerian benchmarking which will be absurd. These sectors are global and the acceptable benchmark should be International. We can take redress from UNESCO.
