NCS urges FG to Ensure Strict Compliance of EOs 003, 005

Prof Adesola Aderounmu, President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has called on the federal government to ensure 100 percent compliance of Executive orders 003 and 005 if we are to solve the unemployment menace in the country.

He noted that presently, compliance to the orders are not being implemented 100 percent, stating that government should ensure that it supports ailing local IT Firms to scale up in order to stop mass exodus of exceptionally brilliant indigenous ICT skills to other countries who will sell the same skills back to Nigeria at exorbitant rates and attendant capital flight.

Prof Aderounmu made this call on Tuesday during a press conference to announce the 14th International Conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) billed to hold from Tuesday 16th to Thursday 19th of July, 2019, at the International Conference Centre, Gombe.

He emphasized that support for local content in public procurement by the Federal Government will definitely contribute in the creation of more jobs for our present and youthful population.

He decried the disturbing high level of disregard for contracts entered into with indigenous firms compared with the “high level of respect” accorded to foreign counterparts by the government.

Using REMITA as an example, the NCS President urged federal government to lead by example by ensuring that it comply with its obligation with regard to the services rendered to her through REMITA software.

He bemoaned them for their inability to hold its part of the agreement entered with SystemSpecs despite the services rendered to her through REMITA software.

He implored on them to pay SystemSpecs the total cost of all their services rendered to date.

Prof Aderounmu noted that the ICT Roadmap of the Federal Government could only achieve its desired goals, when local IT Firms are appreciated and respected for their innovation, intellectual property and pace setting accomplishments.

Giving further insight on how government could solve the unemployment crisis in Nigeria, Prof Aderounmu said that IT projects in the country could resolve the unemployment crisis if properly executed.

He noted that the National Identity Management System (NIMS) project as one of the projects that could address the lingering unemployment crisis if backed with regulatory innovations that will ensure economic growth.

He commended the current administration for the integration of the National Identity Number (NIN) into the issuance and renewal of International Passports by the Nigeria Immigration Service, stressing that such regulatory innovations will definitely result in economic growth.

Prof Aderounmu also called on government to quickly mediate on the lingering debacle between Chams Plc and NIMC, stressing that an amicable resolution of the impasse will restore faith in the Executive orders 003 and 005 of the present administration.

According to him, “NCS calls for urgent and decisive intervention to salvage Chams Plc’s position and allow Chams Plc and Chams Consortium Ltd reap the fruits of an amicable resolution freely entered into with the NIMC.

“It is on record that Chams made huge investments, in excess of N9bn, into the concession.

“Chams however suffered many frustrations which eventually snowballed into an unresolved state of affairs.

“It is in the light of the foregoing, NCS request that NIMC stand by and enforce the Terms of the Mediation Agreement dated 19th December, 2017 to enable Chams Plc execute assigned business opportunities under the NIMS project and hence regain stability towards restoring its Share Valuation which has suffered massive erosion consequence of the plight on the NIMC project.

“That NIMC, in line with Clause 3.1 of the Terms of Agreement collaborate with Chams Plc to provide adequate financial cushion and compensation to CCL for the funds invested into the project already by CCL.

“CCL has indicated its immediate willingness and ability to perform its own side of the Terms of Agreement.

“Furthermore, under a conducive environment, CCL has indicated that it has the capacity and capability to enrol more than 50 million Nigerians annually and could, if well-empowered, issue the enrolees with National ID cards.

“To that end, CCL has engaged some international partners who are willing to support the Government in achieving these noble goals at record speed.

“It is our understanding that early resolution of this crisis will lead to creation of additional 1000 jobs for the youths through Information Technology.

Also, Prof Aderounmu urged government to intervene in the matter between Omatek Group and Bank of Industry (BOI) in order to bring amicable resolution to the problem.

The NCS president called the FG to prevail in the matter and urge BOI to vacate court order, noting that locking up a factory for over 24 months with goods worth billions of Naira is not in the best interest of any of the stakeholders.

He emphasized that Omatek is a major employer of Nigerian youth at peak production, capable of employing over 600 teeming youth both directly and indirectly.

He noted that some of the goods and materials for which the loans were sorted would have been obsolete and rusted away.

He stated that the problem should be settled out of court, stressing that Omatek Ventures has indicated that it is open to settlement out of court.