Telecom
Stakeholders Urge for Increased IT Adoption in Governance
Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, CEO, Simplex Automation Systems Ltd on Tuesday said that the adoption of Information Technology (IT) would serve as enabler for transparency in governance.
Salisu disclosed this at the 2018 Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Lagos Chapter IT Conference and Annual General Meeting, held in Lagos.
According to him, if IT is properly utilized, it will spur many things in the society and inspire new governance mechanism.
“Adoption of IT will make government to be transparent and open, making them to work better and thus will solicit the trust of its citizens.
“IT will enable citizens to participate in governance by being active in Town Hall meetings or Community Development Areas,” he said.
He listed some limitations and obstacles which could hinder the adoption of IT as: culture of secrecy in government, which had to do with institutions of government not being transparent and open in governance.
He listed others as: lack of political will to implement policies of government, lack of information laws, lack of capacity within the civil society and political leaders, which he termed messianic complacency.
Salisu said that IT could serve as a catalyst in information management by aiding government to have an efficient data gathering system and ease to disseminate information to people with the press of a button.
He noted also that IT could aid consistency of information at any point in time and encourage feedback between the citizens and government.
He listed the challenges of IT as an enabler as: poor infrastructure, high cost of internet access and low literacy rate.
He decried that Nigerian government overtime instituted a lot of noble initiatives to move the country forward but lacked the will to implement these initiatives.
He also urged NCS to engage government constructively by having some applications that would have proof of concept from the tertiary institutions in the country.
Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos State Governor, speaking at the event, said that IT was a major tool for transparency and urged other stakeholders to adopt IT
Ambode who was represented by Mr Hakeem Fahm, Commissioner of Science and Technology, said that one of the milestone of global innovations of the last century was development of ICT tools, platforms and applications which had brought about significant change in the way we do things.
“There is no gainsaying that ICT has impacted significantly on governance in terms of the enhancement of ease of processes and a procedure which translates into improved service delivery to the people.
“In recent time, they had to introduce e-payment platform to the public to reduce the stress and traffic being faced when making payment in banks.
“Other several e-platforms and portals introduced by government are consistent with the smartcity project which enhances transparency and accountability in governance.
“A major positive effect of all these is the increase in the actual revenue being generated by government which translates to improved quality of life through the massive investment being made in the physical and social infrastructure development,” he said.
The President NCS, Prof. Adesola Aderounmu, urged stakeholders to be abreast of the changes in the industry and move with the changes.
According to him, there is no room for complacency as one needs to move at the speed the industry is moving, urging members to commit themselves to the affairs of the society.
Technology Company, Globacom, has announced significant reductions in its International Direct Dialing (IDD) rates, making international calls more affordable for its existing and new customers across Nigeria.
Effective August 10, the new rates began applying to over 15 popular international destinations, including United States which will has moved to ₦30 per minute, down from ₦35, United Kingdom is now N350 from ₦400, while India also moved down to ₦40 from N45.
The rates for China, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon however recorded major reduction moving to N75, N300 and ₦700 respectively.
The reduction was also extended to African countries including Benin Republic which goes for ₦650 per minute, Niger Republic ₦750, Ghana ₦500, and Togo ₦650. United Arab Emirates also moved from ₦450 to ₦325, Germany to ₦550, Côte d’Ivoire ₦700, Libya ₦700, while calls to Malawi is now N1,100 from ₦1,200.
Glo aims to provide more value for its customers through these revised rates, encouraging them to make Glo their preferred network for international calls. New IDD bundles will also be introduced, offering frequent international callers even more attractive deals.
Globacom, which remained optimistic that frequent international callers will benefit immensely from the reductions in IDD bundles, enjoined customers to take advantage of the new rates to stay connected with friends and business associates across the globe.
President Bola Tinubu has appointment members into the boards of the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Universal Service Provision Fund, both under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Idris Olorunnimbe was named Chairman of the NCC board, while Dr Aminu Wada will continue as Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, a position he was appointed to in October 2023 and confirmed by the Senate the following month.
Onanuga said Olorunnimbe previously served on the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Board, where he chaired the Stakeholder and Governance Committee.
Other NCC board members are Abraham Oshidami (Executive Commissioner, Technical Services), Rimini Makama (Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management), Hajia Maryam Bayi, Col Abdulwahab Lawal (retd.), Senator Lekan Mustafa, Chris Okorie, Princess Oforitsenere Emiko, and the board secretary.
The President also approved the board of the USPF, chaired by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, with Olorunnimbe as Vice Chairman.
Other members are Oshidami, Makama, Aliyu Edogi Aliyu (representative of FMCIDE), Joseph B. Faluyi (representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance), Auwal Mohammed (representative of FMBNP), Uzoma Dozie, Peter Bankole, Abayomi Anthony Okanlawon, Gafar Oluwasegun Quadri, and the USPF secretary.
See the statement below:
PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS BOARD MEMBERS FOR NCC AND USPF
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has constituted the boards of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), both agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
Idris Olorunnimbe was appointed Chairman of NCC, while Dr Aminu Waida remains its Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer.
President Tinubu appointed Wada to the position in October 2023, and the Senate confirmed the appointment in November 2023.
Advertisement
Mr. Olorunnimbe previously served on the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) Board, where he chaired the Stakeholder and Governance Committee and drove impactful youth employment and entrepreneurship programmes.
Other members of the board are:
1. Abraham Oshidami – Executive Commissioner, Technical Services
2. Rimini Makama – Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management
3. Hajia Maryam Bayi- Former Director, Human Capital & Administration
4. Col Abdulwahab Lawal (Rtd)
5. Senator Lekan Mustafa
6. Chris Okorie
7. Princess Oforitsenere Emiko
8. Secretary of the Board.
The President also approved the Board of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), with Dr Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, as Chairman.
Other members are :
1. Idris Olorunimbe – Vice Chairman
2. Abraham Oshidami
3. Rimini Makama
4. Aliyu Edogi Aliyu – (Rep FMCIDE)
5. Joseph B Faluyi – (Rep. of Federal Ministry of Finance)
6. Auwal Mohammed – (Rep. of FMBNP)
7. Uzoma Dozie
8. Peter Bankole
9. Abayomi Anthony Okanlawon
10. Gafar Oluwasegun Quadri and the
11. USPF Secretary
The Federal Government established the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access and service to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in rural, unserved and underserved areas in Nigeria.
Anambra State ICT Agency has restated its commitment to creating a digitally inclusive environment where Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) can access and benefit from government services without barriers.
Speaking when the Anambra State Disability Rights Commission (ADRC), in partnership with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme, paid an advocacy visit to his office, the Managing Director/CEO of the ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, underscored the Soludo administration’s determination to make governance work for all, including PWDs.
Mr. Agbata noted that intentional inclusion is a key part of the Governor’s technology-driven vision for the state which is why the commission recently received a wide range of digital tools to enhance their productivity.
“Technology is only truly impactful when it works for everyone, regardless of physical ability.
We are committed to removing digital barriers and making our platforms accessible to all residents of Anambra State,” he said.
CFA also disclosed that the Agency will take immediate steps to appoint a Disability Desk Officer, work with the commission to ensure that all government ICT platforms are designed to meet accessibility standards, and as well as incorporate PWD-friendly features into ongoing upgrades of the SolutionLens feedback platform.
The visit also featured presentations from ADRC’s Head of ICT, Mr. Bonaventure Umeokwonna, who outlined the Commission’s priorities, and RoLAC representatives, who pledged continued support for building capacity and strengthening the policy framework for inclusion.
Mr. Valentine Nwachukwu, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics at the Commission, gave the vote of thanks, commending the ICT Agency’s openness to collaboration.
The Anambra State ICT Agency continues to work closely with ministries, departments, and agencies to deepen digital transformation in the state, ensuring that no segment of society is left behind.
AfDB Adopts AI to Fast-track Africa’s Development Blueprint
SEC Partners Chainalysis to Tackle Rising Crypto Scams
Glo Reduces International Call Rates
Tinubu Strengthens Telecom Governance with NCC, USPF Board Appointments
Anambra ICT Agency Champions Inclusive Tech-Driven Governance
E-Financial3 days agoNBS Reports ₦6.72 Trillion VAT Haul as Tax Reforms Pay Off
Telecom3 days agoMTN Nigeria Rolls Out Network-as-a-Service and Signs First MVNO to Drive Industry Efficiency
News3 days agoNo More Leaks: FIRS Slaps ₦5m Fine on Info Disclosure
Telecom2 days agoAirtel, Vodacom sign Network Infrastructure Agreement to Drive Digital Inclusion
Telecom2 days agoNCC Bars Ex-Officials from Joining Telecom Firms for 5 Years
E-Business2 days agoFirm Shares Tips for Safer Remote Working
- Telecom3 days ago
Airtel Money Africa Partners pawaPay for Seamless International Remittances Across Africa
E-Financial3 days agoFIRS Unveils e-Invoicing, Electronic Fiscal System for Large Taxpayers