NCC to empower 581 schools

Telecommunications regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will by end of this year empower 581 schools and colleges with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment nationwide, in living up to its vision.

This number consists of 221 to be achieved under the NCC’s Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) and the other 360 to be made up from the NCC secretariat under the auspices of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) at NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe made this disclosure at the commissioning of two out of the 141 beneficiaries so far under DAP.

This brings to four DAP projects in Enugu State.

He also said that the first phase of DAP launched in 2004 began with 12 institutions spread across the six geopolitical zones, while the two latest commissioning absorb the Boys High School Amechi-Awkunanaw formerly known as ‘Union Boys’ and a private college, Kings and Queens Comprehensive School Agbani-Road, both in Enugu.

“It’s planned that in 2008 about 80 schools will benefit from the programme,” he said, adding that each of these schools and colleges would be equipped with at least 20 Personal Computers (PCs), furniture and internet facilities, even as in some locations with structural renovation of buildings and supply of air conditioners and power generating sets.

In addition, the programme provides basic training for the teachers and students to enable them effectively use the facilities provided.

Literacy, Ndukwe said, is usually defined simply as the ability to read and write, noting that nowadays the word literacy is often used to substitute for ability or competence.

“The ability such as computer literacy and information literacy are today necessary skills to have in the emerging information age,” he said, emphasizing that the ability to read and write is a prerequisite for acquiring many of these abilities.

He cited a recent report of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) tagged ‘Hole-in-the-Wall’ which indicated that although learning to read and write requires significant guidance and a degree of formalized education, learning to use a computer and other modern technologies could be an intuitive process.

According to him, computers set up in public spaces in slum neighbourhoods of India showed that curious children in these areas became proficient in browsing the Internet and using certain computer programmes within days, without any formal teaching.

This, he said, demonstrates that for children at least, it is possible to gain basic computer skills without formalized assistance, adding that early introduction of computers to children among other ICT tolls could easily become part of the everyday tool of the young people who will grow to become active and productive members of the emerging knowledge societies.

“This has been the motivation for initiating DAP,” he asserted.

Dr. Ndukwe further commended the enthusiasm demonstrated by the Enugu State and the cooperation NCC has enjoyed lately especially in implementation of its DAP projects.

“I enjoin the state government to do whatever is necessary to ensure sustainability of this project in all DAP locations in the state,” he said, and praised the school authorities for providing the facilities for the project, even as he tasked both staff and students to optimize it.

“The Internet is world’s biggest knowledge source today. The possibilities that become available to those that have access to the World Wide Web (www) are limitless. Let us employ it to the fullest,” Ndukwe said, just as he warned the school over being too commercial oriented, maintaining that priority should be given to students first before extending the service for commercial purpose.

In his remark, Enugu State governor, Chief Sullivan Chime represented by his deputy, Chief Sunday Onyebuchi, applauded NCC, pointing out the need for inter-governmental agencies to cooperate and support each other as well as invite the organized private sector to buy into the vision of DAP by being behind government to improve the educational system.

Excited Education Commissioner, Mrs. Ndidi Chukwu was full of praises for NCC, saying that living has become electronic and appreciated Dr. Ndukwe led team at the commission for remembering the school he left several years ago.

She pleaded with the students to shun exam malpractices by tapping into DAP.

Describing the commissioning as a provision of a fertile ground for his students, senior Principal of Boys High School, Mr. C.U. Aneke, noted that apart from availing the community with basic computer knowledge, it would facilitate their chances of securing employment opportunities while considering other prospects of life ambitions at the grassroots.

For his counterpart at Kings and Queens College, Mr. Precious Okorn equally commended NCC for the gesture for choosing the school as part of DAP, saying that the commission has made them to join the ICT community through availing his students and staff the opportunity to browse educational materials online.

“Its now mandatory for students to do practical,” he said.

Chairman, Old Boys Association of the Union, Mr. Ken Anyaegbuna, also thumbed-up NCC for identifying with the school and called on other government and non-governmental organizations to emulate the commission by supporting the education sector.

Gov. Chime later commissioned the two ICT centres.

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ISP spoofing-8

Market Intelligence:

The remainder of this article describes the means of collecting packet traces to allow the packets actually transmitted between two users to be compared in this way.

Spoofing need not involve preventing or blocking communications; it could also involve changing their content, as with a transparent proxy.

Some ISPs have been experimenting with modifying HTML in third-party web pages on the fly in order to inject advertising.

Here is a recent real-world example:

In this image supplied by Chris Palmer, a wireless ISP has modified the source code of Google’s home page to add its own advertising, presumably by spoofing packets with a transparent HTTP proxy. Although similar behaviour often results from adware, in this instance Palmer verified that the ISP was at fault by installing a fresh instance of Windows inside a virtual machine.

Setup:

Step 1. Install Wireshark

Download a copy of Wireshark for your platform from the Wireshark home page at http://www.wireshark.org/. (Wireshark is also prepackaged for most Unix-like operating systems and may be available from your distributor’s package repository.

In older operating system releases, it may still be packaged under its former name, Ethereal.) Install Wireshark and make sure that you can run the programme.

Step 2. Connect directly to the Internet:

In order to obtain the most valid and conclusive results, we strongly recommend that your computer be directly connected to the Internet, with a globally valid public IP address, without any firewalls or network address translation (NAT) routers.

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Computer City traders demand govt support

Computer City traders along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Olodi-Apapa in Lagos, under the aegis of the Freedom Merchants Association (FMA), have called for government support in the development of the market, reports CHARLES OKOH.

FMA led by Messrs Steve Ezeoku and Gabriel Anyanwutaku, the chairman and vice chairman respectively in an interview with Champion Infotel at the weekend, noted that the call has become vital to enable the development of the market so as to attract relevant economic benefits both to the government and individual traders.

They cited the deplorable state of the road in and around the market as well as lack of borehole amongst other problems of social amenities needed in the market.

On how the market located opposite Julius Berger came to be, Mr. Ezeoku said that FMA moved to its present location following confrontation with the oil tankers at the West Minster axis of Oshodi-Apapa Expressway over seven years ago.

“When we came here in 2001 we’re confronted by the threat of oil tankers at West Minster area of Apapa. We moved here because we no longer found the atmosphere at West Minster conducive, so we came to this place and started sand-filling the area,” he said.

Initially, Mr. Ezeoku pointed out that they experienced a lot of problem, including contending with constant invasion from the police instigated by some other people.

The height of it, he said, was when some people from Panti stormed the market with policemen, and thugs in several vans and raped their women while looting goods worth several millions of Naira.

“We got a court injunction from an Igbosere High Court restraining them,” he said, stressing that however, they began to experience some relief since the state commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and the area commander in Festac intervened.

Also speaking, the vice chairman, Mr. Anyanwutaku, who is an importer of computers and allied accessories said they want the government to come to their aid as they pay their taxes too.

“We have given an office space to tax officials and so they are with us here,” he said.

On the level of patronage, the vice chairman said that since the spare part dealers from Lawanson came into the neighbourhood in November 2006, the situation at the market has improved.

“People come from all over the country to purchase computers here for resale, because we offer the cheapest prices you can get and we sell products that we can guarantee. As importers we sell to people from other markets at wholesale prices,” he said.

Speaking on plans to create more awareness about the market, Mr. Anyanwutaku said, an expo is being organized for later this year as a way of letting people know that this is an emerging market and we shall in the nearest future place it as the largest computer market around.”

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African CSO regroups for OOXML

The African Civil Society Organisations (CSO) are once more restrategising for the last part of the voting on the standardisation of the Office Open Extensible Markup Language (OOXML).

Champion Infotel recalls that at the last quarter, the Nigerian Information Technology (IT) community took part in the efforts to globally standardise the DIS 29500 Ecma “Office Open Extensible Markup Language (OOXML),” through a democratic means following a meeting of stakeholders summoned by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in accordance with the directives of the International Standards Organisation (ISO).

According to the ISO JTC-1 directive paragraph 48 section 9.8, national bodies were required to reach a consensus and precisely vote “NO with comments” if there remain unanswered technical problems.

The meeting paved the way for the nation’s voting pattern at the global voting on the draft OOXML on Sunday, September 2, 2007, which final voting has been slated for this quarter.

Champion Infotel investigations revealed that members of the Civil Society on the continent, are finalising strategies to advance participation in the final voting process in their various countries.

It was also gathered that the meeting would hold in Dakar, Senegal under the aegis of the Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA), Third African Conference on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and the Digital Commons also known as Idlelo-3, as a side event.

Scheduled to hold between March 16 and 20, 2008, at the Université Cheick Anta Diop (UCAD) of Dakar,Campus Numérique de la Francophonie, Dakar, Senegal, is expected to attract African notables on Free and Open Source Software crusade.

Sources close to the organisers informed Champion Infotel that activists and national advocates in the sector including the President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Charles Uwadia, Sunday Folayan among others, are expected to grace the session.

In addition, decision makers are likely to grace the forum in order to identify relevant partners for the proposed campaign.

Meanwhile, allegation is awash that some proprietary software giants are lobbying NGOs in the Asian countries to make a difference by way of supporting their course, which was part of discussions at the recently ended Internet Governance Forum (IGF) held in Geneva.

However, according to the Idlelo 3 website, Senegalese Minister of Infrastructures, Land Transport, Telecommunications and ICT, Mr. Habib Sy, would preside over the main conference and would be supported with the presence of Ms Geraldine Fraser – Moloketi, South African Minister of Public Service and Administration, Mr Moustapha Sourang, Senegalese Minister of Education and Ms Innocence Ntap, Minister of Public Service, Employment, Labour and Professional Oragnisations.

Idlelo-3 is poised to be a rallying point for FOSS expertise, exchange, showcasing, innovation, training and projects.

This third edition, the organisers said is important to African and would have plenary and exhibition.

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ITU strengthens partnership with space industry

Global telecom regulator, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said its strengthening collaboration with space industry to make communication more affordable for remote communities.

Addressing participants at the Space Business Round Table in Washington D.C. at the weekend, Secretary General, ITU, Dr Hamadoun Touré, said at the session held on the theme: Looking Forward to Space, that the outcomes of the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07), which met in Geneva for four weeks last autumn was to address the worldwide use of radio frequencies and to meet the global demand for spectrum, fuelled by rapid technological developments and growth in the ICT sector.

He also pointed out that over 2800 delegates, representing 161 member states and 94 observers, WRC-07 focused on the impact of the latest technological developments in satellite services, mobile communications, digital broadcasting and spectrum/orbit resources for satellite applications, including voice, data, digital and high definition TV and the Internet.

Satellite communications, he said, is aimed at improving remote communities, stressing that the role of satellite communications in providing access to communications in remote and isolated communities is to bridge the so-called digital divide.

He said ITU had embarked on a major initiative to connect the world, beginning with Africa, aimed at attracting investment for infrastructure development by developing an enabling environment through appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks and capacity building.

Dr. Toure further said the Connect Africa Summit, held in Kigali, Rwanda last October also brought together African leaders and business from around the world “seeking not aid or charity but to mobilize investment and business resources to support sustainable growth, employment and development.”

With seven years to go to meet the 2015 Millennium Development Goals and the targets set by the World Summit on the Information Society, the connectivity process needs to be accelerated.

“The role of the space industry is very important in meeting our connectivity access targets and to contribute to the well-being of the world’s population,” said Dr Touré, adding that there is need to form a global coalition to put together our resources and efforts within a framework of international cooperation and collaboration to bridge the digital divide.

ITU scribe emphasized the role of satellite communications in emergency telecommunications and relief efforts in response to natural disasters.

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Ndukwe decries low education funding

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has decried low funding of education sector in the country and called for a change of heart by relevant authorities.

Making this call at the 37th convocation ceremony of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), where he bagged a honorary Doctor of Science degree (DSc, honoris causa), in his acceptance speech, last Saturday, Dr. Ndukwe said that funding of educational institutions have been embarrassingly low.

He pointed out that many of the nation’s public schools are currently run down as a result of decaying or non-existing physical structures and infrastructure.

As said by him, educational institutions, especially the ivory towers have invaluable role to play in the moulding and remoulding of future leaders for the greater Nigerian nation of tomorrow.

He emphasised on the need to focus and increase the tempo in producing and equipping future leaders, who are students today, with the right and exemplary attitude to leadership.

He further charged those in leadership positions to shun actions capable of encouraging personal aggrandizement or corrupt enrichment.

“I wish to advocate that our actions as leaders be guided solely by the passion for excellence in the service to humanity,” he advised.

Dr. Ndukwe therefore called for urgent actions to restore the glory in the nation’s education system, which he suggested could be achieved byway of people of like minds and leaders coming together to seek ways of synergising thoughts and actions towards fulfilling the potentials of this country.

“There is urgent need for restoration and I will seize this opportunity to call on state and local government administrations to devote more resources towards the improvement of educational institutions in the country,” he declared.

He underlined the importance of achieving this at the primary and post-primary levels where the need is very urgent and compelling.

Assuring that he would continue to cherish the award of the esteemed Doctor of Science to him and two others, namely Dr. Tony Elumelu, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and chairman, Education Trust Fund (ETF), Dr. (Mrs) Olatoyin Olokunri.

He dedicated the award to God and his family as well as staff of NCC for their supports.

In his address, the chancellor of the university and Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Idris, said that the convocation of over 2000 men and women for the citadel of learning is a mandate realised.

He described the ceremony as an accomplishment of honest labour, a well-focused leadership and bold vision.

“I feel personally gratified that despite serious handicaps of finance and infrastructure, the university is still fulfilling the role envisioned for her by her founders,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said the school is starting a new project ‘Take-A-Name’ to encourage corporate organisations and individuals to take a project in the school in the coming months and when concluded, it would be named after such entity.

Stressing that there is no other way of immortalising one’s name or the name of somebody who one values and admires.

“Through this channel, one will remain in contact with posterity,” he declared, inviting the public to take up this golden opportunity when the whistle is blown for take off.

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Telcos gear up for W.Afri.Tel-08

Telecommunications companies in the country are gearing up for the forthcoming annual West African International Telecommunications and Information Communication Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel) scheduled to hold in Lagos in June.

Some of these telcos in the early bird registration and confirmation for the event include Sony Ericsson and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operator, Starcomms, ACCAT, Gilat Satcom, SkyVision, DCC Satellite and Networks, Transtector and I-Cell among others.

Commenting on this development, chief host of the event and editor-in-chief of IT & Telecom Digest, Mr. Mkpe Abang said his team is also ready to host the increasing number of participants in the show.

According to him, by confirmation of its participation, for instance, Sony Ericsson, has shown that it has Nigerian market at heart.

“Sony Ericsson has, by confirming its stand and participation at W.Afri.Tel 2008 this early, proves once again that it takes the Nigerian and West African, indeed, the African market, and how it also seriously wishes to push its products into the market,” he said.

Mr. Abang added that another early bird confirmation came from Starcomms Limited, stressing that the telco had previously won the Best Telephone Company of the Year 2007 in the fixed telephony category, and prides itself as one of the companies whose stands have been long-established.

Starcomms stand, the organisers noted, has been confirmed alongside ACCAT, just as Netcom Africa, which won the Best Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Company of the Year at NITTA 2007, has equally confirmed its participation.

The organisers disclosed that they have been inundated with requests for exhibition stands at this year’s W.Afri.Tel, which holds from June 3 to 5, at the New Expo Centre, Ocean View, Victoria Island, Lagos, and their duty is to do their optimal best to offer spaces on a first-come-first-serve allocation basis.

“The interest is very high; but because space is so limited, we can only confirm a company’s stand after it has gone through the processes we’ve put in place before confirming a company’s participation. If we go by the number of companies that have collected form for W.Afri.Tel 2008, it is more than three times the space available. So, we can only say a company is confirmed to participate once we receive its signed contract,” Abang explained.

He further said that in the next couple of weeks, more companies whose stands have been confirmed would be made public.

Initiated since year 2001 in the country by Exhibition Management Services (EMS), South Africa, the show has continued to attract increased participation.

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KADCCIMA extols Globacom

The Kaduna Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADCCIMA) has extolled the Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom for its active participation in the just concluded 2008 Kaduna International Trade Fair.

The group also said that Glo represents an affirmation of the positive Nigerian spirit and enterprise, even as the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Haz Iwendi, equally commended the telco.

In its address to the Globacom Day at the fair, KADCCIMA noted that since Globacom emerged on the telecoms scene over four years ago, it has made a bold statement with its market edge products and services.

The Vice President, KADCCIMA, Prince Remi Fadaunsi who spoke on behalf of the group prayed that the company would continue to pull a strong weight in the Nigerian business environment.

For the Police Commissioner Iwendi, who was the special guest at the ‘Globacom Day’ at the Kaduna International Trade Fair, Glo is proudly a Nigerian network.

The former Police spokesman applauded Globacom for its pacesetting initiatives and offerings, which have endeared the network to Nigerians across the country.

He said the company’s choice of colour, for instance, is a constant reminder of the company’s leadership initiatives in the telecom sector.

“The Glo green is an attestation of the Nigerian, world class spirit and enterprise and each time I see anything Glo, it gives me joy as an indigenous company that has made its mark as a world class company operating in Nigeria,” he said.

The event held at the ceremonial mall of the Permanent site of the Trade Fair ground along Zaria Road, attracted other special guests including the Controller of Immigration in Kaduna State, Mallam Yusuf Bawa, Controller of Prisons, Mallam Salau Momodu, Managing Director of Kaduna State Media Corporation, Alhaji Zubieru Idris Abdulrauf.

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Celtel supports dealers, plans Chinese tour

Celtel Nigeria has concluded plans to support its business partners in order to ensure that they succeed, even as Chinese tour awaits outstanding dealers, according to its Chief Executive, Mr. Bayo Ligali.

He also said that plans have been perfected to take top performing trade partners to China where they will learn new tricks in telecom products and service marketing, sales and distribution and customer service delivery.

Celtel he said, will sustain and strengthen the reward scheme for outstanding dealers including the commission earned on the sale of Celtel products and services, as well as support poorly performing trade partners to do well.

In addition, he said, sales staff will be readily on hand to assist dealers, provide advice and other outlined support service, stressing that the plan is indicative of the company’s determination to help its trade partners.

“It is important to note that the business interests and profitability of our trade partners are of strategic importance to Celtel Nigeria and we are committed to ensuring that the symbiotic relationship, which has existed between them and our organisation continues to grow from strength to strength because it is only when they grow and prosper that our company will achieve its business goals and targets,” he said.

Celtel, he pointed out, believes as a business that this will augur well for a prosperous and mutually beneficial business relationship between the telco and its trade partners.

“We shall take all necessary steps to give you good reason to remain in business with us by providing you excellent services and above all by building a world class network that will meet all the standards of Quality of Service” he said.

Emphasising that due to the diversity in portfolio, its difficult to implement all the very positive suggestions and recommendations that come from trade partners, but noted that Celtel shall continue to seek new ways of doing business with them.

“We, however, take all suggestions and recommendations that will grow the company as a whole very seriously and, therefore, encourage our trade partners not to relent in making such suggestions,” he said.

Also, Celtel’s Commercial Operations Director, Mr. Tayo Bright, said about 20 trade partners, will enjoy the all expense paid trip to China.

The outstanding dealers that have been selected for the trip include Hiro-Oje Investment Limited, Alennsar infinity Company Limited, Plus Limited, LYNQ Communication Limited, Stanqueen Investment Limited, Servisys Limited, Royal Serve Wireless Limited, Glovic Nigeria Limited, Seaman Ventures Nigeria Limited, Suleiko Communications Limited, and Sonite Communication Limited.

Other include Glaceo Investment Limited, Upper Room Limited, Remglory Ventures Limited, Teleputers System, Mars Communication Nigeria Limited, Sainana Resources Nigeria Limited, Helpline Telecom (Nigeria) Limited, Tun Communications Limited, and Bliss Telecommunications Limited

Recently, Celtel rewarded several of its Distribution Business Partners or Dealers with brand new trucks, buses, motorbikes, home theatre, plasma television sets, Laptops, generators and Laser Printers.

The company’ said the gesture is aimed at gratifying Trade Partners for supporting Celtel in the distribution and sale of its products and services in 2007.

Some of the Dealers that were received prizes included Hankstrad Limited, Al-Miftah Limited, Osade Investment, Flexmore (Gateway Bank Plc), Ephybrand Nigeria Limited, Gracelink Limited, First Option Technologies, Kasido Nigeria Limited, Toluque Nigeria Limited, Aliam Nigeria Limited, Ozb Communications Limited, Unique Joe International Communication, Abuma Technical Coy Limited, Mgw Investments Limited, Richtalk Communication Limited, and Anyanwu John Chinedum Telecoms.

Others included Hiro-Oje investment Limited, Plus Limited, Allennsar Infinity Company Nigeria Limited, LYNQ Communication Limited, Stanqueen Investment Limited, Servisys Limited, Royal Serve wireless Limited, Glovic Nigeria Limited, Seaman Ventures Nigeria Limited, Suleiko Communications Limited, Sonite Communications Limited, Glaceo Investment Limited, Upper Room Limited, Remglory Ventures Limited, Teleputers System, Mars Communication Nigeria Limited, Sainana Resources Nigeria Limited, Tun Communications Limited, Helpline Telecom (Nigeria) Limited and Bliss Telecommunications Limited.

The following Trade Partners received various prizes Emmapete Nig Limited, Sonite Communication Limited, Chagyah Enterprises Services, Wavelink Concept Limited, Chibless Business Link Limited, El-Bera Investment Int’l Limited, Mazska Nigeria Limited, Rapid Enterprises Limited, Samack Industries Company Limited, Zigma Consult Limited, Citi Mobile Limited, Mastel Nigeria Limited, Franex Investment Limited, Sufi Enterprises Limited, New Millennium Resources Nigeria, Jihab Global Services Limited, Terry Okwute Nigeria Limited, Mgw Investments Limited, and Fricc Communications Limited.

Additionally, Celtel doled out prizes to the following Rural Distributors: Chinedu Nwala, Kelvin Okamgba, Azuka Nwabueze, Akpabio Ekom, and Chief Ibeneme Festus.

Celtel is generally considered dealers and customers’ friendly organisation.

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