Econet Wireless Group (Econet) has indicated its resolve to contest the plans by its Botsawana subsidiary, Econet Wireless Global otherwise known as AEW Limited.
The firm said though it has not seen the specific papers filed by Altech, “Econet would like to make it clear that the Econet Wireless Group will vigorously contest any attempt to wind up its subsidiary AEW, as we do not consider such a remedy necessary given that Altech invested USD70 million into an existing company in December 2004”, Econet declared.
The Botswana subsidiary is owned by Allied Technologies Group (Altech).
The group said that Altech has advised in the same statement that they are also seeking an alternative remedy for the Botswana High Court to make an order that one of the parties should buy the other out in the joint venture for a sum of USD100 million, about N100 billion.
Confirming this crisis, Econet Wireless Group in a press statement made available to ITrealms said it has received the copy of a statement issued on SENS by the Allied Technologies Group (Altech).
It also confirmed that Altech had made an application in the Botswana High Court for the winding up of a joint venture agreement between Econet Wireless Group and Altech, known as Econet Wireless Global.
But said it is ready to contest this attempt to wind up its subsidiary AEW.
Alternate remedy being sought by Altech was agreed to by the parties on the June 10, 2005, “Once it became clear that the relationship between the parties had broken down irreparably”.
Stressing that this was also the remedy contained in the joint venture agreement between the parties as is normal in business.
Econet said, it has through its financial advisers has already formally submitted an offer to Altech to buy out their stake in AEW while making it abundantly clear to them that Econet has no intention to sell its stake.
“The fact that Altech should seek through the courts a remedy which has already been agreed is consistent with the confusion in their approach that we have observed since they made this investment in our subsidiary AEW,” the group said.
According to Econet Group, the entire approach by Altech in this and other actions which they have taken raises fundamental questions about their real agenda which will no doubt become clearer “to us all as this matter takes its course through the courts in the months and perhaps years to come as we expect a long and protracted battle”.
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Thursday, August 04, 2005
Utomi presides @ FINTEX-05, 75 high-profile delegates expected
Erudite scholar, Prof. Pat Utomi would Monday, August 8, lead a high-powered delegation from various states of the federation made up of about 72 Commissioners to this year’s Financial Internet Expo (FINTEX-05) due to take off in Lagos.
The party would also include strong representation from the federal government with three Ministers are expected at the event.
Organisers of FINTEX, the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), said the delegations from across various sectors of the economy with Ministers of Science and Technology, Communications and Finance, have confirmed participation.
NIG President, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, while disclosing this in Lagos, said the first-ever two-day financial internet exhibition and conferences, has selected notable resource persons to also speak at the event.
He said that apart from confirmed participation of three ministers, namely Prof. Turner Isoun for Science and Technology, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Finance and Chief Cornelius Adebayo of Communications that 72 commissioners in key areas of the economy also would be at the event with theme: ‘Mainstreaming IT in Banking and Finance’.
Also, leading core professionals expected as guests of honour is the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo, with the likes of acting chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Abubakar Maikafi, and his counterpart at the House of Representatives, Alhaji Lawan Farouk.
For captains of industry due to grace FINTEX-05, according to Dr. Ekuwem, includes the chairman of MTN Nigeria, Sir Paschal Dozie, chairman of the Second National Operator (SNO) Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuagu Jnr and Otunba Otudeko of Vmobile.
Confirmed Director-Generals (DGs) include Dr. (Mrs) Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Prof. Cleopas Officer Angaye of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), as well as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest C.A. Ndukwe among others.
He also disclosed that estimated over 30 papers have been slated to be delivered at the two-day event. This, would be led by a keynote address by the Managing Director, Equity Bank Plc, Mr. Akin Ajayi, on “The Changing Financial Landscape”.
Others would be on Process Automation in the Financial Services Sector by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and chief executive, Condata Systems Limited, Dr. Chris Nwannenna, the Net Impact Study - The Nigerian Financial Sector Experience would be led by the chief executive of eShekels Limited, Mr. Fola Odufuwa, while the chief executive of Oceanic Bank Plc, Dr. Mrs. Cecilia Ibru would take participants on the ICT Platform for Effective Bank Mergers as well as the District Manager of the American Power Conversion (APC) for West Africa, Mr. Charles Iyo, who would tackle the Modern IT Trends in Data Availability.
Immediate past president of NIG and Chief executive of Zenith International Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia is expected to declare the exhibition part open, even as the event slated to hold at the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Center, Onikan Lagos, would examine the cyber security of critical ICT infrastructure within the financial sector.
NIG said its pioneering FINTEX as a leapfrogging platform to boost productivity in institutions within the financial sector using ICT as leverage factor to give relevant institutions a competitive advantage at home as they participate in the knowledge-based global economy.
The party would also include strong representation from the federal government with three Ministers are expected at the event.
Organisers of FINTEX, the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), said the delegations from across various sectors of the economy with Ministers of Science and Technology, Communications and Finance, have confirmed participation.
NIG President, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, while disclosing this in Lagos, said the first-ever two-day financial internet exhibition and conferences, has selected notable resource persons to also speak at the event.
He said that apart from confirmed participation of three ministers, namely Prof. Turner Isoun for Science and Technology, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Finance and Chief Cornelius Adebayo of Communications that 72 commissioners in key areas of the economy also would be at the event with theme: ‘Mainstreaming IT in Banking and Finance’.
Also, leading core professionals expected as guests of honour is the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo, with the likes of acting chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Abubakar Maikafi, and his counterpart at the House of Representatives, Alhaji Lawan Farouk.
For captains of industry due to grace FINTEX-05, according to Dr. Ekuwem, includes the chairman of MTN Nigeria, Sir Paschal Dozie, chairman of the Second National Operator (SNO) Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuagu Jnr and Otunba Otudeko of Vmobile.
Confirmed Director-Generals (DGs) include Dr. (Mrs) Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Prof. Cleopas Officer Angaye of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), as well as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest C.A. Ndukwe among others.
He also disclosed that estimated over 30 papers have been slated to be delivered at the two-day event. This, would be led by a keynote address by the Managing Director, Equity Bank Plc, Mr. Akin Ajayi, on “The Changing Financial Landscape”.
Others would be on Process Automation in the Financial Services Sector by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and chief executive, Condata Systems Limited, Dr. Chris Nwannenna, the Net Impact Study - The Nigerian Financial Sector Experience would be led by the chief executive of eShekels Limited, Mr. Fola Odufuwa, while the chief executive of Oceanic Bank Plc, Dr. Mrs. Cecilia Ibru would take participants on the ICT Platform for Effective Bank Mergers as well as the District Manager of the American Power Conversion (APC) for West Africa, Mr. Charles Iyo, who would tackle the Modern IT Trends in Data Availability.
Immediate past president of NIG and Chief executive of Zenith International Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia is expected to declare the exhibition part open, even as the event slated to hold at the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Center, Onikan Lagos, would examine the cyber security of critical ICT infrastructure within the financial sector.
NIG said its pioneering FINTEX as a leapfrogging platform to boost productivity in institutions within the financial sector using ICT as leverage factor to give relevant institutions a competitive advantage at home as they participate in the knowledge-based global economy.
Infofair-05 begins nationwide road-show
First-ever All African In-formation and Communications Technology (ICT) fair has launched a nationwide road-show to create some impacts with its raffle draw campaign.
This, the organizers said would be a mileage in sensitizing the populace on the fair otherwise known as Infofair-2005.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos, chairman and chief executive of Gordons, organizers of the fair, Chief Nkwocha Heston Nkwocha said the road-show took off simultaneously at the six geo political zones of the country last Saturday.
He said that the fair scheduled to hold in Kaduna, northern Nigeria between November 11 and 15 this year at the International Trade Fair Complex stands out as there is no other kind for now.
Chief Nkwocha disclosed that the raffle would witness its first draw in September rather than the previous ly announced August date.
The managing director of Gordons, Mr. Godfrey Ugwuegbu, told Champion Infotel that the draws would be in two phases beginning with the September edition.
Mr. Ugwuegbu also said that the raffle tickets are already on sale at various designated places including all the EkenediliChukwu Transport, ABC Transport bus terminals respectively, and Personal Loans and Loan Scheme as well as at Radio Nigeria nationwide.
Prizes to be won include brand new Peugeot 307 and 206 as first and second prizes, while the third prize of N1 million would be awarded too.
Other prizes to be carted away include five generating sets, desktop computers, refrigerators, and split unit air conditioners in that order.
This would be in addition to 10 Digital Video Display (DVD) sets, 30 television sets, 200 Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) handsets and 200,000 other consolation prizes.
According to him, the project is a joint venture between the Kaduna State government and group of private sector players led by Gordons.
Also supporting the project comprises Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), and Bensube Communications Limited.
This, the organizers said would be a mileage in sensitizing the populace on the fair otherwise known as Infofair-2005.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos, chairman and chief executive of Gordons, organizers of the fair, Chief Nkwocha Heston Nkwocha said the road-show took off simultaneously at the six geo political zones of the country last Saturday.
He said that the fair scheduled to hold in Kaduna, northern Nigeria between November 11 and 15 this year at the International Trade Fair Complex stands out as there is no other kind for now.
Chief Nkwocha disclosed that the raffle would witness its first draw in September rather than the previous ly announced August date.
The managing director of Gordons, Mr. Godfrey Ugwuegbu, told Champion Infotel that the draws would be in two phases beginning with the September edition.
Mr. Ugwuegbu also said that the raffle tickets are already on sale at various designated places including all the EkenediliChukwu Transport, ABC Transport bus terminals respectively, and Personal Loans and Loan Scheme as well as at Radio Nigeria nationwide.
Prizes to be won include brand new Peugeot 307 and 206 as first and second prizes, while the third prize of N1 million would be awarded too.
Other prizes to be carted away include five generating sets, desktop computers, refrigerators, and split unit air conditioners in that order.
This would be in addition to 10 Digital Video Display (DVD) sets, 30 television sets, 200 Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) handsets and 200,000 other consolation prizes.
According to him, the project is a joint venture between the Kaduna State government and group of private sector players led by Gordons.
Also supporting the project comprises Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), and Bensube Communications Limited.
NEPAD e-school; Africa on the march
FEATURES:
Five years into the 21st century, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) seems to have found its footing as its electronic schools (e-school) initiative takes off the ground, reports REMMY NWEKE.
UNLIKE the often African political projects, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD’s) electronic school (e-school) eventually took off recently at the Uganda’s Bugulumbya Secondary School in Busobya Village of the Kamuli district.
This being the first NEPAD e-school on the continent attracted the official presence of Uganda’s President, Mr. Yoweri Museveni, on July 18, 2005.
The project took a new shape in July 2001, with five heads of state from Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa, resolving to engage in a mandate of creating sustainable programmes to integrate the continent into the global economy.
Analysts observed that one of the most important projects that showed potentials was the e-Schools Africa initiative, which was designed to transform about 600,000 schools into e-schools with Internet access, Personal Computers, software among other learning materials, while establishing an e-health points.
This is with the intention that within the first five years of the implementation all African high schools would be converted to e-schools’ taste and 10 years for the primary schools to fit into this dream.
Initial Nepad e-schools project was officially launched at the African Economic Summit (AES) in Durban, South Africa in 2003, even as the initiative has since received the support of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the African Development Bank (ADB).
“The NEPAD initiative is welcome and should be applauded as it is in line with our goals of reducing illiteracy and poverty,” Mr. Museveni had declared. Noting that this project would not only benefit the people of Bugulumbya but the whole nation.
He stressed that the Uganda Ministry of Education would definitely carry on with this programme and the government of Uganda would put aside a budget for it.
The Bugulumbya’s school now has computers and accessories, server, internet, electricity, mobile telephone booster mast, computer desks, Digital Satellite Television (DSTv), e-health facility, and trained teachers.
Deputy Executive chairperson of NEPAD’s e-Africa Commission, Dr. Henry Chasia, said “This is the first time that African governments, NEPAD and the private sector are cooperating on an ICT project on this scale and scope in the NEPAD framework”.
Dr. Chasia pointed out that it is through such partnerships between the government and private sector otherwise known as Public, Private sector Partnership (PPP), that the continent would be able to impart modern Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills and knowledge to the youth, in order to enable them face the challenges of ever-changing information society and global economy.
“This technology would enable the young people of this village to tap into the global mainstream of information and knowledge, where they would learn and play, expand their imagination and their creativity as well as collaborate with their peers across the African continent and across the world,” he buttressed.
It was not surprising therefore that this came as the e-Schools initiative grabbed an international award as the Global Intelligent Community Visionary of the Year 2005. The award was organised by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a special project of the World Teleport Association, a non-profit organization that focuses on the uses of broadband and information technology for economic development by communities, with trading associates in 20 nations globally.
ICF, however, conducts research, creates conference content, publishes newsletters and presents annual awards for intelligent community developers.
Manager, Information Society Partnership for Africa’s Development (ISPAD)-NEPAD e-Africa Commission, Ms. Pam Mallela, accepted the award, according to ICF.
But the Manager, Public Communications at NEPAD e-Africa Commission, Mr. Samuel Mikenga, said in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel that the award was received by the Nigerian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Dr. Simeon Adekanye, at the recent ICF conference in New York, for NEPAD’s ability to generate support from the private sector.
Mr. Mikenga also quoted ICF led by Mr. John G. Jung, as saying that the “scope and intention of NEPAD’s plan to attain a degree of success saw the body up to date generating both financial support and the private sector’s collaboration, as well as its understanding that satellite communications are key to broadband access in most areas of the world, led ICF’s committee to acknowledge NEPAD in 2005”.
ICF during the award ceremony also noted that, in its effort to connect the schools to the internet, and therefore to the global infrastructure where knowledge workers and future opportunities will be created, NEPAD showed total commitment to leveraging the capabilities of satellite technology.
“This is the first time that African governments, the private sector, foundations, development agencies and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), have come together for a common ICT project developed and driven by Africans, and for Africa”, asserted Dr. Chasia.
He emphasized that Broadband information and communications technology remain the key to the success of e-Schools project as the commission intends to procure satellite capacity in bulk and make it available for the connection of NEPAD e-schools to the internet.
NEPAD’s e-school initiative is an Africa-wide satellite network of 10-year proposal involving connection of selected schools to the internet as well as to points within each country from where educational content could be fed to the schools on a continuous basis.
It also involves ICT training of teachers and students, content and curriculum development, community involvement, participation and establishment of ‘health points’.
The NEPAD e-schools demonstration project, which began last year, has been identified as a critical initial step for the implementation of e-Schools project. In the proposal, Six schools from each of the 18 participating countries would initially benefit from the e-schools demo before it could be extended to other schools within a given participating nation, hence serving as a hub.
Some of the countries to benefit from this proposal include Nigeria, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda.
And with the recent first e-school launched in Uganda, other heads of state and government on the continent, particularly participating nations are expected to officially launch the first NEPAD e-schools in their respective countries.
The partnership created by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission was to fulfill the objectives of the NEPAD’s ICT programme under the aegis of the Information Society Partnership for Africa’s Development (ISPAD).
ISPAD is made up of private sector partners leading the consortium for the NEPAD e-schools demonstration programme, namely, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Microsoft Corporation, satellite operator INMARSAT, Oracle Corporation and Cisco Systems.
Although the launch of e-school at a district in Uganda is commendable, it must be noted that the continent has not been very fast when it comes to deployment of technology and in some cases where these facilities would be available, they are misused due to lack of sustainable instrument.
Therefore, NEPAD e-Africa Commission must be made to be more efficient in its maintenance structure so as to avoid unfavourable stories such that these facilities are vandalized, or suffer any kind of unencouraging marks of mismanagement and corrupt dealings.
It is only this way that ISPAD members among other interested foreign investors would have faith on African leaders and their governments, thus stimulating and encouraging continuous support for the benefit of the entire continent, even as the schedule roll out, country by country must be taken very seriously, so as not to derail from the original terms.
Analysts, however, are of the opinion that Africa has the capability to make e-school initiative work very efficiently for better tomorrow at the same time bridging the digital divide on the continent.
Five years into the 21st century, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) seems to have found its footing as its electronic schools (e-school) initiative takes off the ground, reports REMMY NWEKE.
UNLIKE the often African political projects, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD’s) electronic school (e-school) eventually took off recently at the Uganda’s Bugulumbya Secondary School in Busobya Village of the Kamuli district.
This being the first NEPAD e-school on the continent attracted the official presence of Uganda’s President, Mr. Yoweri Museveni, on July 18, 2005.
The project took a new shape in July 2001, with five heads of state from Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa, resolving to engage in a mandate of creating sustainable programmes to integrate the continent into the global economy.
Analysts observed that one of the most important projects that showed potentials was the e-Schools Africa initiative, which was designed to transform about 600,000 schools into e-schools with Internet access, Personal Computers, software among other learning materials, while establishing an e-health points.
This is with the intention that within the first five years of the implementation all African high schools would be converted to e-schools’ taste and 10 years for the primary schools to fit into this dream.
Initial Nepad e-schools project was officially launched at the African Economic Summit (AES) in Durban, South Africa in 2003, even as the initiative has since received the support of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the African Development Bank (ADB).
“The NEPAD initiative is welcome and should be applauded as it is in line with our goals of reducing illiteracy and poverty,” Mr. Museveni had declared. Noting that this project would not only benefit the people of Bugulumbya but the whole nation.
He stressed that the Uganda Ministry of Education would definitely carry on with this programme and the government of Uganda would put aside a budget for it.
The Bugulumbya’s school now has computers and accessories, server, internet, electricity, mobile telephone booster mast, computer desks, Digital Satellite Television (DSTv), e-health facility, and trained teachers.
Deputy Executive chairperson of NEPAD’s e-Africa Commission, Dr. Henry Chasia, said “This is the first time that African governments, NEPAD and the private sector are cooperating on an ICT project on this scale and scope in the NEPAD framework”.
Dr. Chasia pointed out that it is through such partnerships between the government and private sector otherwise known as Public, Private sector Partnership (PPP), that the continent would be able to impart modern Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills and knowledge to the youth, in order to enable them face the challenges of ever-changing information society and global economy.
“This technology would enable the young people of this village to tap into the global mainstream of information and knowledge, where they would learn and play, expand their imagination and their creativity as well as collaborate with their peers across the African continent and across the world,” he buttressed.
It was not surprising therefore that this came as the e-Schools initiative grabbed an international award as the Global Intelligent Community Visionary of the Year 2005. The award was organised by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a special project of the World Teleport Association, a non-profit organization that focuses on the uses of broadband and information technology for economic development by communities, with trading associates in 20 nations globally.
ICF, however, conducts research, creates conference content, publishes newsletters and presents annual awards for intelligent community developers.
Manager, Information Society Partnership for Africa’s Development (ISPAD)-NEPAD e-Africa Commission, Ms. Pam Mallela, accepted the award, according to ICF.
But the Manager, Public Communications at NEPAD e-Africa Commission, Mr. Samuel Mikenga, said in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel that the award was received by the Nigerian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Dr. Simeon Adekanye, at the recent ICF conference in New York, for NEPAD’s ability to generate support from the private sector.
Mr. Mikenga also quoted ICF led by Mr. John G. Jung, as saying that the “scope and intention of NEPAD’s plan to attain a degree of success saw the body up to date generating both financial support and the private sector’s collaboration, as well as its understanding that satellite communications are key to broadband access in most areas of the world, led ICF’s committee to acknowledge NEPAD in 2005”.
ICF during the award ceremony also noted that, in its effort to connect the schools to the internet, and therefore to the global infrastructure where knowledge workers and future opportunities will be created, NEPAD showed total commitment to leveraging the capabilities of satellite technology.
“This is the first time that African governments, the private sector, foundations, development agencies and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), have come together for a common ICT project developed and driven by Africans, and for Africa”, asserted Dr. Chasia.
He emphasized that Broadband information and communications technology remain the key to the success of e-Schools project as the commission intends to procure satellite capacity in bulk and make it available for the connection of NEPAD e-schools to the internet.
NEPAD’s e-school initiative is an Africa-wide satellite network of 10-year proposal involving connection of selected schools to the internet as well as to points within each country from where educational content could be fed to the schools on a continuous basis.
It also involves ICT training of teachers and students, content and curriculum development, community involvement, participation and establishment of ‘health points’.
The NEPAD e-schools demonstration project, which began last year, has been identified as a critical initial step for the implementation of e-Schools project. In the proposal, Six schools from each of the 18 participating countries would initially benefit from the e-schools demo before it could be extended to other schools within a given participating nation, hence serving as a hub.
Some of the countries to benefit from this proposal include Nigeria, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda.
And with the recent first e-school launched in Uganda, other heads of state and government on the continent, particularly participating nations are expected to officially launch the first NEPAD e-schools in their respective countries.
The partnership created by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission was to fulfill the objectives of the NEPAD’s ICT programme under the aegis of the Information Society Partnership for Africa’s Development (ISPAD).
ISPAD is made up of private sector partners leading the consortium for the NEPAD e-schools demonstration programme, namely, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Microsoft Corporation, satellite operator INMARSAT, Oracle Corporation and Cisco Systems.
Although the launch of e-school at a district in Uganda is commendable, it must be noted that the continent has not been very fast when it comes to deployment of technology and in some cases where these facilities would be available, they are misused due to lack of sustainable instrument.
Therefore, NEPAD e-Africa Commission must be made to be more efficient in its maintenance structure so as to avoid unfavourable stories such that these facilities are vandalized, or suffer any kind of unencouraging marks of mismanagement and corrupt dealings.
It is only this way that ISPAD members among other interested foreign investors would have faith on African leaders and their governments, thus stimulating and encouraging continuous support for the benefit of the entire continent, even as the schedule roll out, country by country must be taken very seriously, so as not to derail from the original terms.
Analysts, however, are of the opinion that Africa has the capability to make e-school initiative work very efficiently for better tomorrow at the same time bridging the digital divide on the continent.
Chams to deploy 30,000 ChamsAccess, Wema unveils 2
CHAMS Nigeria Limited is to deploy 30,000 ChamsAccess multipurpose service terminals by the end of 2007, even as Wema Bank Plc has expressed partnership interest, deploying two of the terminals.
Wema also becomes the first banking institution to patronize ChamsAccess in the country.
ChamsAccess service terminals are multipurpose Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), used in purchasing of airtime for mobile phones to flight tickets as well as in checking Joint Admission and
Matriculation results electronically known as Jambites Online.
Unveiling the services at Wema Bank headquarters, the Managing Director, Alhaji Adeleke Alade, expressed interest in the bank partnering with Chams to fasten the deployment nationwide.
Chief executive of Chams, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, assured the bank his firm’s readiness, said his office is already outlining plans to deploy a 3,000 of ChamsAccess machines before December this year, while the remaining 27,000 would be deployed before the end of next year.
He also said that Chams would be deploying the machines along with personnel to assist customers wishing to use it for some times to come.
He pointed out that it would also be deployed at airports nationwide.
Assistant General Manager, Marketing at Chams, Mrs. Nike Bajomo said a lot could be done with ChamsAccess multipurpose terminals.
These include internet browsing, purchase of airtime of any denomination, even as there is room for specific adverts and customization for companies who so desire.
General Manager, Chams, Mr. Eniola Bolarin, assured that the systems have inbuilt Uninterrupted Power System (UPS) that could last two hours if public power supply is disrupted, even as it could be deployed to use solar energy.
Mr. Bolarin also pointed out that ChamsAccess multipurpose machines have been built to offer services 24 hours in a day and seven days a week.
Wema also becomes the first banking institution to patronize ChamsAccess in the country.
ChamsAccess service terminals are multipurpose Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), used in purchasing of airtime for mobile phones to flight tickets as well as in checking Joint Admission and
Matriculation results electronically known as Jambites Online.
Unveiling the services at Wema Bank headquarters, the Managing Director, Alhaji Adeleke Alade, expressed interest in the bank partnering with Chams to fasten the deployment nationwide.
Chief executive of Chams, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, assured the bank his firm’s readiness, said his office is already outlining plans to deploy a 3,000 of ChamsAccess machines before December this year, while the remaining 27,000 would be deployed before the end of next year.
He also said that Chams would be deploying the machines along with personnel to assist customers wishing to use it for some times to come.
He pointed out that it would also be deployed at airports nationwide.
Assistant General Manager, Marketing at Chams, Mrs. Nike Bajomo said a lot could be done with ChamsAccess multipurpose terminals.
These include internet browsing, purchase of airtime of any denomination, even as there is room for specific adverts and customization for companies who so desire.
General Manager, Chams, Mr. Eniola Bolarin, assured that the systems have inbuilt Uninterrupted Power System (UPS) that could last two hours if public power supply is disrupted, even as it could be deployed to use solar energy.
Mr. Bolarin also pointed out that ChamsAccess multipurpose machines have been built to offer services 24 hours in a day and seven days a week.
VGC oils machine for Bayelsa, Calabar, increases P.H. subs
LEADING telecommunications operator, VGC has indicated that it would soon take its world class service to Bayelsa State and Calabar, capital of Cross Rivers State.
This is coming as telecommunications subscribers at the capital of Lagos, Ikeja, would before the end of the year, begin to enjoy its services, even as VGC subscribers in Port Harcourt have grown to over 5,000.
General Manager, VGC, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, who revealed this to Champion Infotel exclusively, said the firm would be in Ikeja before the end of this year.
According to him, things are looking up for VGC, saying that the expectation of his firm was surpassed in Port Harcourt since the subscribers have grown from estimated 2,000 to over 5,000.
“The growth is interesting and as such a dynamic market with all mobile operators (GSM) working well,” he said.
Mr. Adebayo pointed out that the plan of VGC to launch fully in the Niger Delta area has reached an advanced stage.
To this end, he disclosed that VGC has formerly applied to the nation’s telecom regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
“The application is advanced, despite other expansion being carried out across the network,” he said.
He assured potential subscribers in Bayelsa and Calabar that the same kind of quality of service would be made available.
In addition, he said VGC has commenced the offer of broadband Value Added Services including high-speed internet access, call forward and conference call as well as malicious call tracing for free.
For him, once subscribers are VGC, they could now go to sleep because “we’re at our best all the time”.
This is coming as telecommunications subscribers at the capital of Lagos, Ikeja, would before the end of the year, begin to enjoy its services, even as VGC subscribers in Port Harcourt have grown to over 5,000.
General Manager, VGC, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, who revealed this to Champion Infotel exclusively, said the firm would be in Ikeja before the end of this year.
According to him, things are looking up for VGC, saying that the expectation of his firm was surpassed in Port Harcourt since the subscribers have grown from estimated 2,000 to over 5,000.
“The growth is interesting and as such a dynamic market with all mobile operators (GSM) working well,” he said.
Mr. Adebayo pointed out that the plan of VGC to launch fully in the Niger Delta area has reached an advanced stage.
To this end, he disclosed that VGC has formerly applied to the nation’s telecom regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
“The application is advanced, despite other expansion being carried out across the network,” he said.
He assured potential subscribers in Bayelsa and Calabar that the same kind of quality of service would be made available.
In addition, he said VGC has commenced the offer of broadband Value Added Services including high-speed internet access, call forward and conference call as well as malicious call tracing for free.
For him, once subscribers are VGC, they could now go to sleep because “we’re at our best all the time”.
Elcom launches PM70 workstation
Certified Possio technical sales representative in the country, Elcom Serve Nigeria Limited, has launched its Global System for Mobile communications mobile office workstation, PM70, into the nation’s market.
Speaking at the launch, chief technical officer (CTO) of Elcom, Mr. Odusanya Olugbenga Martins, said PM70 enables subscribers of any mobile network to send and receive faces wherever there is a GSM signal nationwide through their number.
Possio PM70, he said, is a GSM terminal for voice, fax and Short Messaging Service (SMS), which is good for mobile professionals.
The CTO also said that PM70 has the capability of scanner, copier and printer.
“Wherever you use a mobile phone, you can now send a fax and receive with Possio PM70,” he declared.
The product, he said, is an ideal tool for the state governments because it enables users to keep in touch with the various arms of government anywhere, anytime as important paper documents, which could be faxed for the purpose of signatures or confirmations, hence enhances speedy decision making.
He listed some of the merits of the product to include increase response time for chief executives and officers to critical issues arising within and outside the area of operation.
He stressed that the largest GSM operator in the country, MTN has bought this product as well as Vmobile.
“MTN has bought some units, Vmobile too while MTel and Glo too are still talking with us,” he said.
Emphasizing that the beauty of PM70 is that it works on any networks, even as it could be used to print phone book on any Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.
“It comes with handset, antenna and charger, which is multipurpose in nature,” he said.
The product also has a 12 month warranty is fully, reassuring that Elcom has the support service personnel to back up the product locally.
Speaking at the launch, chief technical officer (CTO) of Elcom, Mr. Odusanya Olugbenga Martins, said PM70 enables subscribers of any mobile network to send and receive faces wherever there is a GSM signal nationwide through their number.
Possio PM70, he said, is a GSM terminal for voice, fax and Short Messaging Service (SMS), which is good for mobile professionals.
The CTO also said that PM70 has the capability of scanner, copier and printer.
“Wherever you use a mobile phone, you can now send a fax and receive with Possio PM70,” he declared.
The product, he said, is an ideal tool for the state governments because it enables users to keep in touch with the various arms of government anywhere, anytime as important paper documents, which could be faxed for the purpose of signatures or confirmations, hence enhances speedy decision making.
He listed some of the merits of the product to include increase response time for chief executives and officers to critical issues arising within and outside the area of operation.
He stressed that the largest GSM operator in the country, MTN has bought this product as well as Vmobile.
“MTN has bought some units, Vmobile too while MTel and Glo too are still talking with us,” he said.
Emphasizing that the beauty of PM70 is that it works on any networks, even as it could be used to print phone book on any Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.
“It comes with handset, antenna and charger, which is multipurpose in nature,” he said.
The product also has a 12 month warranty is fully, reassuring that Elcom has the support service personnel to back up the product locally.
ITU, infoDev join forces on new online regulation kit
United Nations specialized agency for telecommunications, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Information for Development Programme (InfoDev), a multi-donor programme under World Bank group with focus on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for development, have launched a new online regulation toolkit.
This toolkit has been planned to address the complex regulatory challenges emerging from a rapidly evolving ICT industry.
A press statement issued simultaneously by the ITU Regulatory Officer, Ms Susan Schorr and the InfoDev, Ms Joan Hubbard specifically touched on an update and expansion of infoDev’s influential print publication Telecom Regulators’ Handbook (issued in 2000).
The new web-based toolkit is aimed at national and regional regulatory agencies, ICT policy-makers, and other stakeholders with an active interest in ICT regulation.
ITU said that about 140 nations worldwide have now achieved a national regulatory authority, with the vast majority having been put in place during the last 10 years.
These relatively new authorities, ITU noted that many of them were established as part of a broader programme of national ICT liberalization, and have a strong need for reliable and impartial information on regulatory issues and best practice.
Director, ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), Mr. Hamadoun I. Touré said “Today’s regulators and policy makers, especially those in the developing world, are seeking practical advice and concrete best practice guidelines to help grow their national ICT markets”.
He pointed out that the new ICT regulation toolkit is a response to the demands for provision of a first-class product on policy and regulation.
ITU said, the toolkit was conceived as a permanently evolving resource, consisting of a series of modules on key regulatory issues in the rapidly converging ICT sector.
The first module, however, went live at the weekend and deals with the authorization of telecommunication services.
It also addresses such issues as different authorization approaches and practices, and competitive licensing processes as well as highlights on recent trends toward lighter authorization and licensing practices that could reduce barriers to market entry.
The officials said the remaining modules are scheduled to come online between now and 2006, covering cover legal and institutional aspects of regulation; interconnection, price regulation and competition; new technologies and their impact on regulation; and radio spectrum management.
Each module, ITU said, consists of a core document, which provides a high-level summary of the topic concerned, and serves as the framework for a range of online content giving more detailed information through hyperlinks.
These hyperlinks allow users to access secondary documents that offer in-depth treatments of the topic in both text and graphical formats. Users could gain access to reference documents containing information on best practice and industry precedents.
They could also obtain practice notes that provide summaries, background, context and practical advice. In addition to providing an invaluable day-to-day information resource, all modules could also be used as training materials in formal training sessions for regulators or operators. The online version of the ICT Regulation Toolkit will be regularly updated to ensure that it incorporates the very latest information on regulatory strategies, best practice and country case studies.
“This new ICT Regulation Toolkit will provide ICT policy-makers and regulators with practical approaches and instruments to support their decision-making,” said infoDev Programme Manager Mostafa Terrab.
“It is a unique resource designed around three key features: it is an interactive, on-line tool allowing for user feedback and enhancement; it is dynamic in that its contents will evolve to reflect new developments in the sector; and it is forward-looking, foreseeing and anticipating policies and regulations that fully leverage the potential of new technologies to maximize access for all throughout the developing world.”
Champion Infotel gathered that the full toolkit will be showcased at the annual ITU Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), to be held in Hammamet, Tunisia from November 14 to 15, 2005, as well as at the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which will take place in Tunis from 16 to 18 November 2005.
The module that went live today is accessible here, as well as through links on the ITU and infoDev websites. The remaining modules scheduled to come online later will be made available on CD-ROM.
This toolkit has been planned to address the complex regulatory challenges emerging from a rapidly evolving ICT industry.
A press statement issued simultaneously by the ITU Regulatory Officer, Ms Susan Schorr and the InfoDev, Ms Joan Hubbard specifically touched on an update and expansion of infoDev’s influential print publication Telecom Regulators’ Handbook (issued in 2000).
The new web-based toolkit is aimed at national and regional regulatory agencies, ICT policy-makers, and other stakeholders with an active interest in ICT regulation.
ITU said that about 140 nations worldwide have now achieved a national regulatory authority, with the vast majority having been put in place during the last 10 years.
These relatively new authorities, ITU noted that many of them were established as part of a broader programme of national ICT liberalization, and have a strong need for reliable and impartial information on regulatory issues and best practice.
Director, ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), Mr. Hamadoun I. Touré said “Today’s regulators and policy makers, especially those in the developing world, are seeking practical advice and concrete best practice guidelines to help grow their national ICT markets”.
He pointed out that the new ICT regulation toolkit is a response to the demands for provision of a first-class product on policy and regulation.
ITU said, the toolkit was conceived as a permanently evolving resource, consisting of a series of modules on key regulatory issues in the rapidly converging ICT sector.
The first module, however, went live at the weekend and deals with the authorization of telecommunication services.
It also addresses such issues as different authorization approaches and practices, and competitive licensing processes as well as highlights on recent trends toward lighter authorization and licensing practices that could reduce barriers to market entry.
The officials said the remaining modules are scheduled to come online between now and 2006, covering cover legal and institutional aspects of regulation; interconnection, price regulation and competition; new technologies and their impact on regulation; and radio spectrum management.
Each module, ITU said, consists of a core document, which provides a high-level summary of the topic concerned, and serves as the framework for a range of online content giving more detailed information through hyperlinks.
These hyperlinks allow users to access secondary documents that offer in-depth treatments of the topic in both text and graphical formats. Users could gain access to reference documents containing information on best practice and industry precedents.
They could also obtain practice notes that provide summaries, background, context and practical advice. In addition to providing an invaluable day-to-day information resource, all modules could also be used as training materials in formal training sessions for regulators or operators. The online version of the ICT Regulation Toolkit will be regularly updated to ensure that it incorporates the very latest information on regulatory strategies, best practice and country case studies.
“This new ICT Regulation Toolkit will provide ICT policy-makers and regulators with practical approaches and instruments to support their decision-making,” said infoDev Programme Manager Mostafa Terrab.
“It is a unique resource designed around three key features: it is an interactive, on-line tool allowing for user feedback and enhancement; it is dynamic in that its contents will evolve to reflect new developments in the sector; and it is forward-looking, foreseeing and anticipating policies and regulations that fully leverage the potential of new technologies to maximize access for all throughout the developing world.”
Champion Infotel gathered that the full toolkit will be showcased at the annual ITU Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), to be held in Hammamet, Tunisia from November 14 to 15, 2005, as well as at the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which will take place in Tunis from 16 to 18 November 2005.
The module that went live today is accessible here, as well as through links on the ITU and infoDev websites. The remaining modules scheduled to come online later will be made available on CD-ROM.
eClemo portal records 50,000 visitors daily
PROMOTERS of business-to-consumers (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B), eClemo Nigeria Limited has announced that its online portal, www.eclemo.com, has witnessed a daily record time of over 50,000 visitors.
Vice President, eClemo, Mr. Clement Ekhator, said this development confirms on the website the acceptance by Nigerians.
The website provides a meeting point between consumers and providers of services with products, even as there are thousands of adverts running on the sites for free and geared at creating a platform between sellers and buyers to either sell or buy legitimate goods on the Internet in the country.
He said, the portal provides an online window for sellers to advertise their goods at no fee to thousands of people across the globe seeking for such products or services.
“We are happy at the progress we have made so far. The responses have been tremendous. We are glad that a lot of Nigerians now know that there is a place they can advertise their products and services for free online,” he declared.
Stressing that www.eclemo.com is not only about buying and selling, it allows for contacts, advert placement and job search for those in the labour market.
“Before now, one could only get to the physical marketplace to first of all look for the product that you want to buy and then hope to find the kind of colour and quality that you are looking for,” he said.
Often, he said, ones next-door neighbour might have a used product that he or she might want to sell that will be very interesting to buy.
“But they cannot and will not come to you to ask if you are interested because of the stigma that could be associated to buying a second hand product even when the used product is in excellent condition and would serve your need,” he asserted.
Pointing out that the portal provides the perfect meeting point to carry out such transactions.
“We are solving this problem by creating the opportunity to sell and buy products via a click on the Internet, said Ekhator.
Vice President, eClemo, Mr. Clement Ekhator, said this development confirms on the website the acceptance by Nigerians.
The website provides a meeting point between consumers and providers of services with products, even as there are thousands of adverts running on the sites for free and geared at creating a platform between sellers and buyers to either sell or buy legitimate goods on the Internet in the country.
He said, the portal provides an online window for sellers to advertise their goods at no fee to thousands of people across the globe seeking for such products or services.
“We are happy at the progress we have made so far. The responses have been tremendous. We are glad that a lot of Nigerians now know that there is a place they can advertise their products and services for free online,” he declared.
Stressing that www.eclemo.com is not only about buying and selling, it allows for contacts, advert placement and job search for those in the labour market.
“Before now, one could only get to the physical marketplace to first of all look for the product that you want to buy and then hope to find the kind of colour and quality that you are looking for,” he said.
Often, he said, ones next-door neighbour might have a used product that he or she might want to sell that will be very interesting to buy.
“But they cannot and will not come to you to ask if you are interested because of the stigma that could be associated to buying a second hand product even when the used product is in excellent condition and would serve your need,” he asserted.
Pointing out that the portal provides the perfect meeting point to carry out such transactions.
“We are solving this problem by creating the opportunity to sell and buy products via a click on the Internet, said Ekhator.
UNESCO prepares to launch NET
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), has announced the plans to prepare teachers to judiciously use technologies for teaching and learning in what it called the Next Generation of Teachers (NET) Project.
The project, according to UNESCO office in Bangkok, is designed to assist teacher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region.
It is one of UNESCO’s most recent initiatives for the professional development of teachers that the organization has supported in the past 60 years.
Director, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, Sheldon Shaeffer, said that by 2008, all regional member states will be in a position to offer teachers an education on how and when to best use technologies for teaching and learning, through training which is integrated in all national pre-service teacher training institutions in the region.
“Learners will directly benefit from this new generation of well educated teachers, who will be empowered to use technologies and to facilitate the learners’ active participation in learning, and in the knowledge societies and economies”, Shaeffer said.
Key players in the Asia-Pacific Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Education field, UNESCO said, consist of EDUCOMP Datamatics Ltd, CISCO, Intel, Internexia and Microsoft have applauded this initiative, and have participated in workshops to further develop the concept and to discuss means of supporting it.
Microsoft was the first key player to pledge a support going beyond the sharing of materials and know-how with its Partners in Learning (PiL) programme, which has made a generous commitment to financially contribute to the success of this initiative.
Also, NET is anticipated to link and build on the achievements made and networks created in the conceptual phase and in other projects.
The intention, UNESCO noted, is to make this a “growing partnership” which includes all key organizations that are active in the field of professional development of teachers and that are concerned with ICT integration in teacher training.
The project has four main objectives, specifically focusing on assessing and meeting the needs of the Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in terms of technology integration; create a network of TEIs; receive, adapt and/or develop the materials needed: an assessment tool, curriculum framework, start-up kit, and training modules meeting the diverse needs of future teachers in the ASP region; and document and consolidate lessons learned to be used as feedback for policymaking and recommendations for institutional change in TEIs.
It would also be executed within the five types of beneficiaries and partners, which include the pupils who will benefit from the improved skills of teachers who facilitate students’ learning and prepare them for knowledge societies and economies; Future teachers -those enrolled in the TEIs, who are the direct beneficiaries of the project since they are the targeted participants of the training modules to help integrate ICT in teaching; and Participating TEIs together with the teacher trainers – a priority group – the administrators of the institutions and their selected faculty, who are also direct beneficiaries as the project will deal with countries and institutions that will collaborate and implement the training modules in their teacher education courses.
The selection of the countries and TEIs the official, said, would be based on an agreed set of criteria which includes willingness to integrate ICT in teacher education courses, institutional leadership among other areas.
The exact number of targeted TEI will only be decided after the detailed needs assessment, and after the fine-tuning of the strategies; even as policymakers and other TEI administrators, who will be the target audience when the lessons learned are documented and disseminated; and national governments will be beneficiaries and partners in this project.
This initiative hopes to assist governments in the region in their objectives of capacity building as they reform and re-align their national education systems, and drive to improve the quality of curriculum practices.
The project, according to UNESCO office in Bangkok, is designed to assist teacher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region.
It is one of UNESCO’s most recent initiatives for the professional development of teachers that the organization has supported in the past 60 years.
Director, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, Sheldon Shaeffer, said that by 2008, all regional member states will be in a position to offer teachers an education on how and when to best use technologies for teaching and learning, through training which is integrated in all national pre-service teacher training institutions in the region.
“Learners will directly benefit from this new generation of well educated teachers, who will be empowered to use technologies and to facilitate the learners’ active participation in learning, and in the knowledge societies and economies”, Shaeffer said.
Key players in the Asia-Pacific Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Education field, UNESCO said, consist of EDUCOMP Datamatics Ltd, CISCO, Intel, Internexia and Microsoft have applauded this initiative, and have participated in workshops to further develop the concept and to discuss means of supporting it.
Microsoft was the first key player to pledge a support going beyond the sharing of materials and know-how with its Partners in Learning (PiL) programme, which has made a generous commitment to financially contribute to the success of this initiative.
Also, NET is anticipated to link and build on the achievements made and networks created in the conceptual phase and in other projects.
The intention, UNESCO noted, is to make this a “growing partnership” which includes all key organizations that are active in the field of professional development of teachers and that are concerned with ICT integration in teacher training.
The project has four main objectives, specifically focusing on assessing and meeting the needs of the Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in terms of technology integration; create a network of TEIs; receive, adapt and/or develop the materials needed: an assessment tool, curriculum framework, start-up kit, and training modules meeting the diverse needs of future teachers in the ASP region; and document and consolidate lessons learned to be used as feedback for policymaking and recommendations for institutional change in TEIs.
It would also be executed within the five types of beneficiaries and partners, which include the pupils who will benefit from the improved skills of teachers who facilitate students’ learning and prepare them for knowledge societies and economies; Future teachers -those enrolled in the TEIs, who are the direct beneficiaries of the project since they are the targeted participants of the training modules to help integrate ICT in teaching; and Participating TEIs together with the teacher trainers – a priority group – the administrators of the institutions and their selected faculty, who are also direct beneficiaries as the project will deal with countries and institutions that will collaborate and implement the training modules in their teacher education courses.
The selection of the countries and TEIs the official, said, would be based on an agreed set of criteria which includes willingness to integrate ICT in teacher education courses, institutional leadership among other areas.
The exact number of targeted TEI will only be decided after the detailed needs assessment, and after the fine-tuning of the strategies; even as policymakers and other TEI administrators, who will be the target audience when the lessons learned are documented and disseminated; and national governments will be beneficiaries and partners in this project.
This initiative hopes to assist governments in the region in their objectives of capacity building as they reform and re-align their national education systems, and drive to improve the quality of curriculum practices.
IT Edge @ One, goes into regional broadcasting
TOP ranking Information and Communications Technology (ICT) magazine, IT Edge is celebrating its one year, even as it’s ready to venture into radio broadcasting across the West Africa.
Owned by the Knowledge Media International (KMI), the weekly radio, Champion Infotel gathered is named Business& Technology Edge Radio, and would make a debut this month with a promise to provide insightful news and analyses for radio audience in Lagos and Accra.
A technology business news portal www.itedgenews.com provides for a global readership in excess of 70,000 every Monday morning and is a news source to other news portals such as the much respected Balancing Act based in London.
Since its public unveiling last year in Lagos IT Edge magazine has grown to become the sub-region’s voice with insightful ICT reportage.
IT Edge is published in English and French languages by Knowledge Media International (KMI) Limited as a business technology magazine.
Currently circulating extensively in key West African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire Senegal and Gambia, IT Edge maintains editorial and circulation offices in Lagos, Accra and Freetown.
According to its President, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, with a grounded cream of reporters and editorial provided by Germiston, South Africa, support the reflection in the increasing volume of ICT businesses between West Africa (Nigeria) and South Africa.
He noted, “We are focusing on building a stream of media channels to deliver ICT knowledge and partnering with organisations with which we share a similar vision to deliver knowledge to a continent that is in dire need of growth through information technology.”
In addition, IT Edge is providing media partnership to the Nigerian Telecoms Summit holding in Abuja in September organised by the CWC Associates in conjunction with Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications.
It is the sole media partner for the AITEC 2005 holding in Accra, organised by AITEC and has non-exclusive agency with AITEC for the holding of the Africa Computing and Telecommunications (ACT) 2005 event in Johannesburg later in October.
“The last 12 months have been a challenging process for us to deliver media services that add value to the ICT industry across the sub-region,” he pointed out.
Owned by the Knowledge Media International (KMI), the weekly radio, Champion Infotel gathered is named Business& Technology Edge Radio, and would make a debut this month with a promise to provide insightful news and analyses for radio audience in Lagos and Accra.
A technology business news portal www.itedgenews.com provides for a global readership in excess of 70,000 every Monday morning and is a news source to other news portals such as the much respected Balancing Act based in London.
Since its public unveiling last year in Lagos IT Edge magazine has grown to become the sub-region’s voice with insightful ICT reportage.
IT Edge is published in English and French languages by Knowledge Media International (KMI) Limited as a business technology magazine.
Currently circulating extensively in key West African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire Senegal and Gambia, IT Edge maintains editorial and circulation offices in Lagos, Accra and Freetown.
According to its President, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, with a grounded cream of reporters and editorial provided by Germiston, South Africa, support the reflection in the increasing volume of ICT businesses between West Africa (Nigeria) and South Africa.
He noted, “We are focusing on building a stream of media channels to deliver ICT knowledge and partnering with organisations with which we share a similar vision to deliver knowledge to a continent that is in dire need of growth through information technology.”
In addition, IT Edge is providing media partnership to the Nigerian Telecoms Summit holding in Abuja in September organised by the CWC Associates in conjunction with Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications.
It is the sole media partner for the AITEC 2005 holding in Accra, organised by AITEC and has non-exclusive agency with AITEC for the holding of the Africa Computing and Telecommunications (ACT) 2005 event in Johannesburg later in October.
“The last 12 months have been a challenging process for us to deliver media services that add value to the ICT industry across the sub-region,” he pointed out.
UNESCO prepares to launch NET
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), has announced the plans to prepare teachers to judiciously use technologies for teaching and learning in what it called the Next Generation of Teachers (NET) Project.
The project, according to UNESCO office in Bangkok, is designed to assist teacher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region.
It is one of UNESCO’s most recent initiatives for the professional development of teachers that the organization has supported in the past 60 years.
Director, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, Sheldon Shaeffer, said that by 2008, all regional member states will be in a position to offer teachers an education on how and when to best use technologies for teaching and learning, through training which is integrated in all national pre-service teacher training institutions in the region.
“Learners will directly benefit from this new generation of well educated teachers, who will be empowered to use technologies and to facilitate the learners’ active participation in learning, and in the knowledge societies and economies”, Shaeffer said.
Key players in the Asia-Pacific Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Education field, UNESCO said, consist of EDUCOMP Datamatics Ltd, CISCO, Intel, Internexia and Microsoft have applauded this initiative, and have participated in workshops to further develop the concept and to discuss means of supporting it.
Microsoft was the first key player to pledge a support going beyond the sharing of materials and know-how with its Partners in Learning (PiL) programme, which has made a generous commitment to financially contribute to the success of this initiative.
Also, NET is anticipated to link and build on the achievements made and networks created in the conceptual phase and in other projects.
The intention, UNESCO noted, is to make this a “growing partnership” which includes all key organizations that are active in the field of professional development of teachers and that are concerned with ICT integration in teacher training.
The project has four main objectives, specifically focusing on assessing and meeting the needs of the Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in terms of technology integration; create a network of TEIs; receive, adapt and/or develop the materials needed: an assessment tool, curriculum framework, start-up kit, and training modules meeting the diverse needs of future teachers in the ASP region; and document and consolidate lessons learned to be used as feedback for policymaking and recommendations for institutional change in TEIs.
It would also be executed within the five types of beneficiaries and partners, which include the pupils who will benefit from the improved skills of teachers who facilitate students’ learning and prepare them for knowledge societies and economies; Future teachers -those enrolled in the TEIs, who are the direct beneficiaries of the project since they are the targeted participants of the training modules to help integrate ICT in teaching; and Participating TEIs together with the teacher trainers – a priority group – the administrators of the institutions and their selected faculty, who are also direct beneficiaries as the project will deal with countries and institutions that will collaborate and implement the training modules in their teacher education courses.
The selection of the countries and TEIs the official, said, would be based on an agreed set of criteria which includes willingness to integrate ICT in teacher education courses, institutional leadership among other areas.
The exact number of targeted TEI will only be decided after the detailed needs assessment, and after the fine-tuning of the strategies; even as policymakers and other TEI administrators, who will be the target audience when the lessons learned are documented and disseminated; and national governments will be beneficiaries and partners in this project.
This initiative hopes to assist governments in the region in their objectives of capacity building as they reform and re-align their national education systems, and drive to improve the quality of curriculum practices.
The project, according to UNESCO office in Bangkok, is designed to assist teacher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region.
It is one of UNESCO’s most recent initiatives for the professional development of teachers that the organization has supported in the past 60 years.
Director, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, Sheldon Shaeffer, said that by 2008, all regional member states will be in a position to offer teachers an education on how and when to best use technologies for teaching and learning, through training which is integrated in all national pre-service teacher training institutions in the region.
“Learners will directly benefit from this new generation of well educated teachers, who will be empowered to use technologies and to facilitate the learners’ active participation in learning, and in the knowledge societies and economies”, Shaeffer said.
Key players in the Asia-Pacific Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Education field, UNESCO said, consist of EDUCOMP Datamatics Ltd, CISCO, Intel, Internexia and Microsoft have applauded this initiative, and have participated in workshops to further develop the concept and to discuss means of supporting it.
Microsoft was the first key player to pledge a support going beyond the sharing of materials and know-how with its Partners in Learning (PiL) programme, which has made a generous commitment to financially contribute to the success of this initiative.
Also, NET is anticipated to link and build on the achievements made and networks created in the conceptual phase and in other projects.
The intention, UNESCO noted, is to make this a “growing partnership” which includes all key organizations that are active in the field of professional development of teachers and that are concerned with ICT integration in teacher training.
The project has four main objectives, specifically focusing on assessing and meeting the needs of the Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in terms of technology integration; create a network of TEIs; receive, adapt and/or develop the materials needed: an assessment tool, curriculum framework, start-up kit, and training modules meeting the diverse needs of future teachers in the ASP region; and document and consolidate lessons learned to be used as feedback for policymaking and recommendations for institutional change in TEIs.
It would also be executed within the five types of beneficiaries and partners, which include the pupils who will benefit from the improved skills of teachers who facilitate students’ learning and prepare them for knowledge societies and economies; Future teachers -those enrolled in the TEIs, who are the direct beneficiaries of the project since they are the targeted participants of the training modules to help integrate ICT in teaching; and Participating TEIs together with the teacher trainers – a priority group – the administrators of the institutions and their selected faculty, who are also direct beneficiaries as the project will deal with countries and institutions that will collaborate and implement the training modules in their teacher education courses.
The selection of the countries and TEIs the official, said, would be based on an agreed set of criteria which includes willingness to integrate ICT in teacher education courses, institutional leadership among other areas.
The exact number of targeted TEI will only be decided after the detailed needs assessment, and after the fine-tuning of the strategies; even as policymakers and other TEI administrators, who will be the target audience when the lessons learned are documented and disseminated; and national governments will be beneficiaries and partners in this project.
This initiative hopes to assist governments in the region in their objectives of capacity building as they reform and re-align their national education systems, and drive to improve the quality of curriculum practices.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Usoro for JACITAD seminar
Erudite telecommunications lawyer, Mr. Paul Usoro, would today, Thursday, present a lead paper at the one-day seminar on corporate governance in the telecommunications sector.
The seminar being put together by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Joint Action Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Awareness and Development (JACITAD), is holding at the Lagos Sheraton and Towers, Ikeja.
JACITAD President, Mr. Biyi Fashoyin, disclosed this to newsmen and said Mr. Usoro’s paper would dwell on issues of good corporate governance within the telecommunications sector, how it could be used to tackle the problems that faces the sector on its daily operations.
According to him, plans have reached advance stage for the seminar which is expected to declared open by the Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo.
He said that the event with the theme: Telecommunications, Challenges of Corporate Governance, the seminar is slated to attract participation of all stakeholders in the industry, even as the Federal Ministry of Communication would have a high powered delegation to be led by the Minister himself.
Also confirmed participation, he said is the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who is the Chief Host.
“Considering the importance of the issues to be discussed at the seminar in the sector, the NCC has been supportive of its organization, taking up a lead role as a principal sponsor,” he revealed.
Operators of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) in the country, the prime movers of the sector, have also put their full weight behind the seminar as sponsors.
According to him, Fixed Wireless Operators otherwise known as PTOs were not left out either in supporting the event.
He pointed out that the theme was carefully selected to coincide with the four-year anniversary of GSM operations in Nigeria; GSM being the arrowhead of the telecom revolution which the country has witnessed in recent times.
Mr. Fashoyin explained that in spite of the monumental gains of the telecommunications sector, poor corporate governance in the sector was capable of setting it backwards.
He stressed that the earlier the issues of poor corporate governance in the sector are tackled frankly by operators in an open forum, the better for the industry.
The seminar being put together by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Joint Action Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Awareness and Development (JACITAD), is holding at the Lagos Sheraton and Towers, Ikeja.
JACITAD President, Mr. Biyi Fashoyin, disclosed this to newsmen and said Mr. Usoro’s paper would dwell on issues of good corporate governance within the telecommunications sector, how it could be used to tackle the problems that faces the sector on its daily operations.
According to him, plans have reached advance stage for the seminar which is expected to declared open by the Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo.
He said that the event with the theme: Telecommunications, Challenges of Corporate Governance, the seminar is slated to attract participation of all stakeholders in the industry, even as the Federal Ministry of Communication would have a high powered delegation to be led by the Minister himself.
Also confirmed participation, he said is the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who is the Chief Host.
“Considering the importance of the issues to be discussed at the seminar in the sector, the NCC has been supportive of its organization, taking up a lead role as a principal sponsor,” he revealed.
Operators of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) in the country, the prime movers of the sector, have also put their full weight behind the seminar as sponsors.
According to him, Fixed Wireless Operators otherwise known as PTOs were not left out either in supporting the event.
He pointed out that the theme was carefully selected to coincide with the four-year anniversary of GSM operations in Nigeria; GSM being the arrowhead of the telecom revolution which the country has witnessed in recent times.
Mr. Fashoyin explained that in spite of the monumental gains of the telecommunications sector, poor corporate governance in the sector was capable of setting it backwards.
He stressed that the earlier the issues of poor corporate governance in the sector are tackled frankly by operators in an open forum, the better for the industry.
Monday, August 01, 2005
ICANN’s disengagement on course - Official
DESPITE the assuming confusion over the recent United States’ insistence to retain the Internet root servers, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has indicated its readiness to continue to respect the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US government.
The MoU, it would be recalled would expire come September 2006.
This indication by ICANN was given by the General Manager for Global Partnerships at ICANN, Ms. Theresa Swinehart.
Speaking to Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) at the just ended ICANN’s conference in Luxembourg, Ms. Swinehart said that the US government declaration indicating its intention to retain control of root servers, had not affected the validity of the existing MoU in any form.
She said that in terms of the MoU, ICANN would remain firmly tucked under the wings of the US government until September next year when the MoU expires.
She expressed the believe that Washington’s confidence on the future of ICANN, is not equivocal.
“The statement by the US represents the situation as it is now.
There is nothing to show that the memo will not be fulfilled. We’re still on course,” Swinehart asserted.
Also reacting to the pronouncement, chairperson of the African Regional Registry (AfriNIC), Pierre Dandjinou said the US declaration could be interpreted in two ways; either that there is a need for more security on the internet or that it is merely a political statement inviting other countries for dialogue.
Dandjinou opted that the declaration may have been a political statement inviting all other countries with various concerns to the discussion table.
“In this discussion, security issues will be raised and dealt with,” AfriNIC boss said.
The MoU, it would be recalled would expire come September 2006.
This indication by ICANN was given by the General Manager for Global Partnerships at ICANN, Ms. Theresa Swinehart.
Speaking to Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) at the just ended ICANN’s conference in Luxembourg, Ms. Swinehart said that the US government declaration indicating its intention to retain control of root servers, had not affected the validity of the existing MoU in any form.
She said that in terms of the MoU, ICANN would remain firmly tucked under the wings of the US government until September next year when the MoU expires.
She expressed the believe that Washington’s confidence on the future of ICANN, is not equivocal.
“The statement by the US represents the situation as it is now.
There is nothing to show that the memo will not be fulfilled. We’re still on course,” Swinehart asserted.
Also reacting to the pronouncement, chairperson of the African Regional Registry (AfriNIC), Pierre Dandjinou said the US declaration could be interpreted in two ways; either that there is a need for more security on the internet or that it is merely a political statement inviting other countries for dialogue.
Dandjinou opted that the declaration may have been a political statement inviting all other countries with various concerns to the discussion table.
“In this discussion, security issues will be raised and dealt with,” AfriNIC boss said.
Bell, Eazii takes VTU to Post offices
TELECOMMUNICATIONS equipment support company, Bell & Bell in collaboration with Eazii Airtime Solutions, has introduced the Virtual Top Up (VTU) service of all MTN airtime denominations at post offices throughout Lagos State.
Disclosing this, the Customer Support Executive at Bell & Bell, Ms Esther Aihevba, said the offer began since July 15, this year and was introduced to enable Lagosians to buy airtime at ease.
“Lagosians can now work into any Post Office near them and purchase any denomination of airtime of MTN at operator’s advertised prices,” she declared.
Ms Aihevba also said that the successful launch of the pilot scheme would soon be extended to all the states of the federation in phases, including the federal capital, Abuja.
This, she said, would be achieved through the use of over 1000 Post Office outlets nationwide.
She stressed that the new offer was in line with the firm’s vision to make available its services to consumers, including the MTN 400 airtime at all local governments in the country.
Ms Aihevba further said that the scheme is powered by Eazii Airtime, a suitable and time saving prepaid airtime vending solution, which makes it possible for subscribers to buy vouchers from all operators through Short Messaging Service (SMS) order from any location and at anytime.
According to her, Eazii Airtime solution is a 24 hour service that uses the wireless network only.
“It is easy to use and communication with the customer is through SMS and therefore a subscriber simply needs to know how to use SMS,” she explained.
Disclosing this, the Customer Support Executive at Bell & Bell, Ms Esther Aihevba, said the offer began since July 15, this year and was introduced to enable Lagosians to buy airtime at ease.
“Lagosians can now work into any Post Office near them and purchase any denomination of airtime of MTN at operator’s advertised prices,” she declared.
Ms Aihevba also said that the successful launch of the pilot scheme would soon be extended to all the states of the federation in phases, including the federal capital, Abuja.
This, she said, would be achieved through the use of over 1000 Post Office outlets nationwide.
She stressed that the new offer was in line with the firm’s vision to make available its services to consumers, including the MTN 400 airtime at all local governments in the country.
Ms Aihevba further said that the scheme is powered by Eazii Airtime, a suitable and time saving prepaid airtime vending solution, which makes it possible for subscribers to buy vouchers from all operators through Short Messaging Service (SMS) order from any location and at anytime.
According to her, Eazii Airtime solution is a 24 hour service that uses the wireless network only.
“It is easy to use and communication with the customer is through SMS and therefore a subscriber simply needs to know how to use SMS,” she explained.
Friendship is beautiful sets Garden City agog
LARGEST Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), MTN Nigeria, recently took its Friendship is Beautiful campaign to the Garden City of Port Harcourt.
MTN set the city agog as hundreds of youth, music lovers and fun seekers gathered at the Delta Park ground, University of Port Harcourt to experience true friendship relationship with the operator storming the city with its latest campaign “Friendship is Beautiful”.
The group, mostly students were treated to a memorable night as different top artistes across the country took to stage one after the order to thrill and create lasting experience for the event.
Rave of the moment artistes, Style Plus, Africa China, Dare Art Alade and some other high rated musicians were among those paraded at the three-day show that was climaxed at Uniport.
The campaign featured other attractions like talent hunt, jokes, raffle draw and dancing competition.
Stand up comedians, 'I Go Die' and 'Okoro P' added flavor to the concert with their rib-cracking jokes to make Friendship more beautiful for the mammoth crowd who gathered to watch the event in Port-Harcourt and the shout of Y’ello renting the air in acceptance of their performances.
Speaking on the show, MTN’s Assistant Manager, Event and Sponsorship, Mr. Osaze Ebueku said Friendship is Beautiful is all about fun, Friendship and lasting relationships adding, “the campaign is targeted at young people because we want to realize their best potentials”.
MTN set the city agog as hundreds of youth, music lovers and fun seekers gathered at the Delta Park ground, University of Port Harcourt to experience true friendship relationship with the operator storming the city with its latest campaign “Friendship is Beautiful”.
The group, mostly students were treated to a memorable night as different top artistes across the country took to stage one after the order to thrill and create lasting experience for the event.
Rave of the moment artistes, Style Plus, Africa China, Dare Art Alade and some other high rated musicians were among those paraded at the three-day show that was climaxed at Uniport.
The campaign featured other attractions like talent hunt, jokes, raffle draw and dancing competition.
Stand up comedians, 'I Go Die' and 'Okoro P' added flavor to the concert with their rib-cracking jokes to make Friendship more beautiful for the mammoth crowd who gathered to watch the event in Port-Harcourt and the shout of Y’ello renting the air in acceptance of their performances.
Speaking on the show, MTN’s Assistant Manager, Event and Sponsorship, Mr. Osaze Ebueku said Friendship is Beautiful is all about fun, Friendship and lasting relationships adding, “the campaign is targeted at young people because we want to realize their best potentials”.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Glo Mobile boosts subscribers’ access days
News:
In readiness to sustain its subscribers, the Second National Operator (SNO) Globacom has announced an upward review of the validity days of its recharge cards.
This Globacom said was a new move to enhance subscribers’ access to its network.
The validity increase which cuts across all recharge card denominations was implemented with effect from July 28, 2005.
Officials of Glo Mobile said, weekend that N500 recharge cards which hitherto attracted five days access gives the subscriber now 20 days validity, even as the validity period for the N1,000 recharge cards have been increased from 10 to 45 days.
Similarly, the N2,000 recharge cards now offer 90 days validity each instead of the previous 20 days access.
Globacom also said the N3,000 and N5,000 denominations of its recharge cards would at present give subscribers 120 days access to Glo network rather than 30 days and 50 days access days respective, which prevailed before the review.
The company also announced that the maximum validity that a Glo Mobile Classic subscriber could accumulate, based on his recharge, has been increased from 90 days to 365 days.
Globacom, said, the increase in validity periods enable the subscriber to have more uninterrupted access to loved ones, friends and business associates.
Group Director of Marketing and Strategy at Globacom, Mr. Subhra Das, said this validity increase coupled with the current promotions – Zero Naira Classic SIM, ‘Everyone is an instant winner' and 'Glo 2nd Anniversary Double slam' - make Glo Mobile’s packages the most attractive in the industry.
He stressed that in the “Everyone is an instant winner” promo, subscribers of Glo Classic, Glo Premium and Profit Max are given 15 per cent discount on every recharge card loaded.
The 15 per cent extra airtime effectively reduces call charges by 15 per cent thereby making call costs more affordable to subscribers.
The bonus translates to a credit of N575 for N500 recharge card, N1150 for recharge of N1000, N2300 for recharge of N2000 and N3450 for N3000 recharge and N5750 for N5,000 recharge card, he explained.
On the other hand, the “Glo 2nd Anniversary Double Slam” which is termed the mother of all promotions offers Glo Mobile subscribers the chance to win 42 prizes including six tastefully furnished town homes, six Mercedes Benz E240, six Kia Sorento jeeps, six VW Polo, six Honda City and 12 Kia Picanto cars in an anniversary draw to be held on August 25.
Remarkably, this offer has also been designed to benefit customers from all over the country in line with Globacom’s vision of being a pan-Nigeria company. While the South West, with the largest number of subscribers on the Glo network, gets two houses and 12 cars, all other regions namely, the South East, the South-South, the North Central, and the North will get a house and six cars each.
In readiness to sustain its subscribers, the Second National Operator (SNO) Globacom has announced an upward review of the validity days of its recharge cards.
This Globacom said was a new move to enhance subscribers’ access to its network.
The validity increase which cuts across all recharge card denominations was implemented with effect from July 28, 2005.
Officials of Glo Mobile said, weekend that N500 recharge cards which hitherto attracted five days access gives the subscriber now 20 days validity, even as the validity period for the N1,000 recharge cards have been increased from 10 to 45 days.
Similarly, the N2,000 recharge cards now offer 90 days validity each instead of the previous 20 days access.
Globacom also said the N3,000 and N5,000 denominations of its recharge cards would at present give subscribers 120 days access to Glo network rather than 30 days and 50 days access days respective, which prevailed before the review.
The company also announced that the maximum validity that a Glo Mobile Classic subscriber could accumulate, based on his recharge, has been increased from 90 days to 365 days.
Globacom, said, the increase in validity periods enable the subscriber to have more uninterrupted access to loved ones, friends and business associates.
Group Director of Marketing and Strategy at Globacom, Mr. Subhra Das, said this validity increase coupled with the current promotions – Zero Naira Classic SIM, ‘Everyone is an instant winner' and 'Glo 2nd Anniversary Double slam' - make Glo Mobile’s packages the most attractive in the industry.
He stressed that in the “Everyone is an instant winner” promo, subscribers of Glo Classic, Glo Premium and Profit Max are given 15 per cent discount on every recharge card loaded.
The 15 per cent extra airtime effectively reduces call charges by 15 per cent thereby making call costs more affordable to subscribers.
The bonus translates to a credit of N575 for N500 recharge card, N1150 for recharge of N1000, N2300 for recharge of N2000 and N3450 for N3000 recharge and N5750 for N5,000 recharge card, he explained.
On the other hand, the “Glo 2nd Anniversary Double Slam” which is termed the mother of all promotions offers Glo Mobile subscribers the chance to win 42 prizes including six tastefully furnished town homes, six Mercedes Benz E240, six Kia Sorento jeeps, six VW Polo, six Honda City and 12 Kia Picanto cars in an anniversary draw to be held on August 25.
Remarkably, this offer has also been designed to benefit customers from all over the country in line with Globacom’s vision of being a pan-Nigeria company. While the South West, with the largest number of subscribers on the Glo network, gets two houses and 12 cars, all other regions namely, the South East, the South-South, the North Central, and the North will get a house and six cars each.
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