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Past Presidents Task New NCS NEC on IT Policy, Local Content Devt
The past presidents of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), in Lagos tasked the incoming National Executive Council (NEC) of NCS, on the need to strengthen campaign on Information Technology (IT) Policy advocacy and local content development, which they said, were key to the growth of the computing profession and for the national development of the country.
The egg-heads gave the advice during the official handing over of the mantle of leadership to the new NEC in Lagos, following its successful election during this year’s international conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM), which held in Gombe last month.
The immediate past president, Professor Adesola Aderounmu, who handed over to Prof. Adesina Simon Sodiya, stressed the need for full advocacy on IT policy formulation and implementation by government. “The new NEC should be able to engage government in the right IT policy implementation that will help the country to grow, especially in the area of local content policy implementation .
“Local content policy implementation is key and if we do not get it right, there will be a lot of challenges for the country.
We started advocacy in the area of local content during my two terms tenure of four years but not much was achieved in the area of local content development and implementation. We need the right IT policy that will drive local content in the country. By local content, I mean indigenous software. If we are encouraged to develop local content in the area of software development, it will go a long way to boost employment in the country,” Aderounmu advised.
The new INEC of NCS also need to focus on incubation centres that will provide the enabling environment, which will address the challenge of using IT to address national issues.
In the last three years, we have added over 2,500 members to NCS and I want the new INEC to continue in the membership drive, Aderounmu added.
Other past presidents like Alhaji Ladi Ogunye, Dr. Chris Nwannenna and Prof. Charles Uwadia, spoke on the collaboration and the need to use technology to drive processes like meetings and elections.
Responding to the advice from his predecessors, Sodiya promised to even go beyond the advice and tasks, with a promise to carry out advocacy on the need for government agencies to drive governance with IT.
“We have identified some government agencies that are not IT complaint and we are ready to take them up on IT governance.
I work in an academic environment, a university to be precise, and every five years government brings assert declaration forms for us to fill and we kept filling the same form. If government is serious about fighting corruption, then it should automate most of its processes especially the assert declaration form filling.
We cannot develop as a nation if government processes are not automated, and to achieve this, government must deploy IT in governance to boost efficiency and productivity,” Sodiya said.
At NCS, we will ensure we give direction to government and also ensure that proper implementation is carried out in the area of using IT to drive governance, Sodiya added.
Bosun Tijani, minister for Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, has stated that the federal government is geared towards creating about one million technology jobs for teeming Nigerian youth.
Tijani stated this at the official opening of a solar-powered community ICT center built by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Abeokuta, as part of activities marking the 38th Lisabi festival.
The minister emphasised the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to invest in the digital economy, driving inclusive growth and empowering the country’s teeming youth population.
“The president made it very clear when I came into office, that he will spend efforts and resources in creating one million technology jobs. So, for anybody that is following the development in the world today you will see that there’s no world without technology.
“There is a strong shortage of technology workforce all over the world, and while a lot of the developed countries have ageing population, and not giving birth to kids, in Nigeria, the average age is 16.9, so our young people are being projected to be the workforce of the future, not only for Nigeria.
“This center here is one of many. In the next two months, we are launching about 30 of them all over the country. This center will be properly animated and we will put resources into ensuring that there are courses for young people to come and take here.
“We are also going to ensure that there are job opportunities that we can connect them to and if anyone wants to follow, follow the three million Technical Talent Program which we have started already in the country”, he said.
He therefore charged the youth to remain focus, and not be discouraged, adding that there is massive employment opportunities in technology as there is no enough people to work in technology all over the world.
“If you ask anyone that works in technology, the entry salary is between N350,000 to N500,000. Technology pays really well, so instead of worrying about things being hard, they should take advantage of centers like this, empower themselves and go for the opportunities the world has to offer them”, he added.
Speaking earlier, Oba Adedotun Are, Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, lauded President Tinubu for approving the centre in Abeokuta, saying that this has no doubt marked another new dawn for the people of Egbaland, given rapid growth, development, and economic empowerment of the people.
National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) has predicted that the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) will decline as Dangote Refinery and other local refineries commence full operations.
Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, April 1, NIPSS Director-General Ayo Omotayo expressed optimism that fuel prices would fall once more refineries become operational.
He projected that petrol prices could drop to around N750 per litre before the end of the year with a more stable exchange rate.
“We’re looking at it coming down as low as N750 before the end of the year. And of course, foreign exchange will still drop to about 1.3 before the end of the year, and it is going to continue like that as more of our refineries come into place.
Omotayo acknowledged the current economic hardships but insisted that the policy would benefit Nigerians in the long run.Traditional Nigerian cuisine
“The gains at this time are very little, but in the long run, we will make up for whatever sacrifices we have made today as Nigerians” he stated
U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that a deal for the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations is expected to be finalized before the April 5 deadline.
U.S. President Donald Trump
The deadline, set by legislation passed in January, mandates TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. assets or face a nationwide ban due to national security concerns.
Multiple non-Chinese firms have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Private equity firm Blackstone is considering a minority investment, potentially joining existing non-Chinese shareholders such as Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic.
In a strategic move to facilitate the sale, Trump suggested that he might consider a reduction in tariffs on China, acknowledging that Chinese regulatory approval may be required for the deal to proceed.
The White House has been actively involved in negotiations to ensure that TikTok remains operational in the U.S. while addressing national security risks.
With TikTok’s 170 million American users watching closely, the outcome of the sale is expected to have a major impact on the social media landscape and the broader tech industry.
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