NCC won’t succumb to blackmail - Ndukwe

THE Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has declared that his leadership at the apex telecommunications regulatory body would not succumb to any intimidation.

“I want to make it categorically clear that I would not succumb to any blackmail. I don’t have money to give to anybody,” he asserted.

Ndukwe who was reacting to various allegations against his leadership at NCC by the chairman, House of Representatives committee on Information and National Orientation, Hon. Dino Melaye, last weekend, which included among others that NCC is aiding and abating exploitation of Nigerians by the telecommunications operators, especially the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) companies with respect to complaints against service providers.

“NCC under Dr. Ernest Ndukwe’s leadership is no more working for Nigerians but for the service providers because Nigerians are not enjoying their money and something urgent must be done to curb this,” Melaye said, insisting that Nigerians pay the highest tariff in the world, “yet, we do not enjoy what we pay for.”

Addressing newsmen in reaction to the allegations by Melaye, Dr. Ndukwe said that there was no basis for such claims because the existence of NCC is rooted in mission and vision of providing globally acceptable friendly environment for the operators and ensuring above all that subscribers are not shortchanged under any pretence.

He also expressed optimism that he would complete his second term in office so long as President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is satisfied with the disposition of the commission under his leadership.

“I would be in this position as long as it pleases Mr. President,” he declared, refuting the allegation that he may have interest in any of the telecom operators in the country, even as there is no plan to offer anybody any ‘special’ incentive at the National Assembly to stop any motion to probe the commission.

“So, for anybody to suggest that Honourable members of the National Assembly are being influenced in any form, is immaterial,” he said.

While regretting the inconveniences such negative media reports could have on members of parliament, especially for those whose names may have been mentioned,

“Because nothing like that ever happened and I was not even in the country.”

According to Ndukwe, based on the information available to him, there was nothing worrisome on the Melaye’s motion concerning the commission and himself, stressing that as for himself, he is not a civil servant but a political appointee who assumed his position on tenureship.

He, however, advised self-styled apostle of the people to be patience because in the next15 months, his second term would be over, wondering where on earth these apostles were when Nigeria had a little over 400,000 land lines for over 30 years before the coming of GSM auction which was globally applauded.

“Where were these people when NCC was in two detached houses in 2001 and largely dependent on the government support? Where were they when Nigerians were begging to buy a line between N150,000 and N250,000 to get a fixed line with many more still on the queue of NITEL? Where were these apostles when the Digital Mobile License auction was hailed for its transparency?” he decried.

Noting that NCC before his emergence at the helm of affairs had about 60 employees who were largely non-professionals.

“Today, we have about 300 experts serving this nation in various areas including law, engineering to name a few,” he said.

Ndukwe pointed out that as at December 2008, the nation has grown its subscriber-base to 64 million and NCC is self-reliant as far as funding is concerned.

He further decried a claim that Nigeria lost about N1.7 billion due to the five-year pioneer status granted some GSM operators.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

ATM largesse divides cardholders

The integrity of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) cardholders’ in the country came to test with the recent incident in Jamaica where two women returned $1m dollars found beside an ATM stand, reports REMMY NWEKE.


IMAGINE that barely 48 hours to the New Year, every nooks and cranny were getting agog for the celebration and you have been in festive mood since the beginning of the month of December.

From Sallah public holidays which spanned through weekends to the Christmas then the New Year. These to everyone is definitely a long holiday season and just as every one was planning and warming up to usher in the New Year in a grand style, you walked to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) stand at a nearby city, since the banks were also on holidays.

Ms. Ijeoma Udegbunem had tried the first ATM stand, but could not get what she was looking for – money, looking around, she decided to check the next stand, about 10 metres away, because long queue has begun to emerge at the first one.

As she stepped nearer to the second ATM stand, Ijeoma noticed a polythene bag beside the machine and decided to open it before trying her ATM card on the system, only to discover it was full of ‘mint’ in the Nigerian parlance in N1000 notes, later found out to be over a N1 million.

For a moment, she was excited, then fear of the unknown soon took over with all sorts of things coming into her head; whether to take the money or not; report to the police or not as well as wondering if she could go to bank that operates the ATM, which logo appeared there, just a stone throw away or go home considering the economic hardship she have been facing over the years. Still she was engrossed on whether to lodge the money into her account the next day and join the millionaire club and jump out of poverty in the New Year.

Looking further around, she spotted a policeman on sentry at the entrance of the mall, approached him to explain her foundings, after which both agreed to alert managers of the mall where the ATM was installed. Soon after, the news filtered to the mall goers, who from nowhere wanted to identify with Ijeoma, hence the environs became tensed as well-wishers began to wonder about what the next move would be, thereby forcing the two; police officer and herself to ‘escape’ to the nearest police station in order to handover the money, which in the first instance, was her decision.

Ijeoma’s news break came at a time the news stand was saturated with the news of some Jamaica women who had returned the sum of $1 million recently left at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) stand at Portmore Mall.

Ijeoma could be likened to the a Jamaican legal secretary, Ms Dhaima Brookes, who recently on Sunday, December 28, discovered a white plastic bag containing several neat stacks of $1,000 bills and immediately alerted another woman who turned out to be a policewoman and jointly they ensured that the money was deposited with the police authority despite opposition from some standby in the vicinity, as reported by The Gleaner.

The report also stated that the bag was on the floor and had been left by a cash carrier that had failed to secure it in the ATM. After learning of her discovery, mall goers threatened and taunted her, causing Brookes and a nearby police officer to flee to safety at a local police station, where they promptly handed over the money to representatives of the Guardsman cash delivery service.

Equally it was reported that the undeterred Brookes exhibited an act of goodwill, which angered many when she handed the money over to the authorities.

Speaking after her statement to the police in Portmore, Brookes recounted how she attempted to draw cash from one of the two ATMs at the plaza. The other machine was being serviced by two Guardsman armoured security personnel.

“My card wasn’t working, so I let someone go ahead of me when I noticed a white bag was on the floor in the other ATM,” she said, noting that after deliberating on her next move, she alerted another woman.

She never knew that the other woman, Michelle Lewis, was a policewoman attached to the Elletson Road Police Station in Kingston.

“I knew whoever we gave the money to I would need to have all of their details,” Lewis had said. “So, I held the package tight to my bosom. I wouldn’t give it to anyone but the Supe (superintendent).”

Speaking on the subject and probability of returning same to the authorities or the rightful owner, some Nigerians ATM cardholders, gave divergent views on what would form their next step of action.

One of the respondents said that he would return the money as long as the owner could give sufficient identification such as a receipt or photo ID, driver’s license among others.

Yet some, insisted that as long as it is from a bank ‘bank money’ there would be no going back and no return whatsoever to be made.

“Well, you see, if it is from a bank, it is for me, because they earn enough interest from my deposits already. They also loan out my money and give me what they feel like from it,” a respondent who did not want his name in prints declared.
For a Lagos trader, Ms Yetunde Elebiju, she would return it because the money is not hers, promising to take it to the bank, tell them where it was found, stressing that she is not greedy person.

And for a Youth corper, Godzeal Onwuka, he would distance himself from the money if found, basically because since he did not play any lottery and therefore was not expecting such sum. He warned that whosoever left such amount of money may be for ritual purposes, asserting that an “ordinary Nigerian cannot forget such an amount anyway.”

A pastor, Mr. Sola Adedayo and a businessman, Mr. Augustine Obi told ITRealms Online that since it is not manna from Heaven they would hand the money over to the police or better still “leave it where I found it. The Bible forbids me using what does not belong to me. I am a genuine Christian.”

An employee of the National Union of Road Transports Workers (NURTW) Ajeoromi-Lagos, Mr. Sule Adekoya, said, he would take the money to the police station, as a good citizen.

For a transporter, Mr. Chidi Oyams, such largesse would be assumed as a compensation from the bank if found, because the amount is insignificant when compared with the billions the banks declare as profit. “I will take it to represent a compensation for all the hidden charges that the banks take from my transactions. These banks make profit in billions, so what is a million to them. In fact, it is a gift from God and I will not shy away from taking the money to help myself.”

While an undergraduate, Mrs. Ezuoko Nmachukwu, said, she would prefer to report it to the mall manager or the police than go away with the money, believing that whoever left the money needs it for business and keeping such money could wreck another person’s life.

A businesswoman, Ms. Nnema Oluoma, said that it is good to be good, because she had a similar experience and returned the money to the owner of which she is benefiting from that gesture ever since. “I know what it is like to lose a prized possession, so, why should I allow another such an agony. I have had a similar experience and I called the owner. I am still benefiting from that decision because the man whenever he is in the country still visits me and gives me lot of gifts. We have remained friends ever since.”

Equally, another businesswoman who gave her name as Anthonia, said “Why I would return the money is that I know it is not mine, and probably forgotten by a junior officer who would be made to pay and even sacked with benefits, but if it is forgotten by a bank top officer, “I would not return it because he or she have the wherewithal to pay back.”

Above all, despite the divergent views of Nigerians, it is common knowledge that most people could be described as religious yet robbery has been in the increase, even as it was opined that most respondent may not be truthful to themselves because they were responding to media enquiry, which means that ordinarily they could still made away with the largesse without looking back.

Noteworthy is that over a year ago, a welfare recipient in Toronto, Canada found $20,000 and gave it to the bank suspected to have fallen from a Brinks Security truck. Also some people had reacted the same way differently about her honesty as in the case of Jamaican.

She was given a reward of about $2,000 but being on welfare... and her name, picture shown in the media, spells some trouble.

She would have to pay tax on the reward and lose her welfare supplement equivalent to the reward. However there was a strong outcry to the Welfare and Social Services Minister before the department clarified publicly that no tax or with-holding her welfare cheques would be implemented.

As one of the respondents put it, let us just pray that it does not happen here.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Computer Aid lifts Nigeria with 11,000 PCs

UNITED Kingdom-based charity organization and provider of refurbished computers, the Computer Aid International (CAI) has jacked up Nigeria’s share of its refurbished computer programme by 3,000, thus bringing the total figure to 11,000 as at January 2009.

ITRealms Online recalls that as at June, last year, CAI total distributed PCs in the country was 9,000.

The Programme Officer, CAI West African office, Ms. Anne Musyoki, made this disclosure in Lagos, while on a just concluded working visit to Nigeria.

CAI, she said, shipped over 135,000 personal computers, to where the organization thinks they were most needed in over 105 countries worldwide.

She outlined that Nigeria’s bulk of the PCs have been jacked up by additional 3,000.
“The latest is that we have added about 3,000 PCs to Nigeria,” she said.

Further, she said, that the non-government organization (NGO) is known as the largest supplier of not-for-profit computers to the developing world.

“CAI provides only the highest-quality, professionally refurbished computer for reuse in education, health and not-for profit organizations in developing countries,” she said.

As said by her, CAI presence in over 105 countries globally makes the organization the world largest and most experienced not-for-profit supplier of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) equipment.

Pointing out that the PC deal was part of efforts geared toward assisting developing nations in bridging the digital divide through making inexpensive PCs available.

“CAI has made donations to the Cooperative Information Network (COPINE/NITDA/FMST) at Obafemi Awolowo University, the Distance Learning Centre in the University of Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso,” Musyoki said.

In addition, she enumerated CAI partnering organization to include COPINE Ile-Ife, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) Kano, as well as the Ecumenical Centre for Justice and Peace (ECJP) Makurdi.

The above named organization, Musyoki said, are the authorized distribution partners in the country.

While urging support and collaboration from local NGOs, education institutions and students interested in acquiring computer through CAI to feel free to contact these partners, she said, the essence of her recent ended visit to the country was to increase discussions on expanding the activities of CAI in Nigeria.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Dable counsels on power blues

MANAGER, English Speaking Area and Service Centre for West, Central Africa and Indian Ocean at APC by Schneider Electric, Mr. Paul-Marie Dable, has counseled users of electronic devices on how to overcome the blues surrounding power supply during summer.

Speaking in Lagos, Dable noted that with the summer weather experience which often cause power-related challenges for the end-users and corporate, due to peak electricity demand, increased lightning strikes, power outages as well as surges and spikes.

“The importance of companies backing up computers, networks and other mission-critical areas of the business must be highlighted,” he said.

According to him, power problems have a significant impact, both in terms of damage to hardware and the loss of data.

“This is especially true for individuals and small to medium businesses who may not have taken the time to prepare a disaster plan to combat this type of issue,” he said.

Pointing out that in spite of the flood of advances seen in the high-tech industry over the past few years, the reliable supply of electricity has continued to require the intervention of surge protection, battery back-up power and other availability solutions.

“There are a number of steps users can take to better plan and safeguard all electrical equipment within the homes and offices,” Dable said.

He outlined that the first step is to start with a power line that delivers Alternating Current (AC) only on surge protection.

“A power surge from a nearby lightning strike can destroy the sensitive electrical circuitry in servers, modems and telephones, while reduced voltage output that causes sags along AC power lines can result in data glitches, hardware failure and unexpected system crashes,” he said.

This, he said, usually happens when utilities are managing high electricity demand and is often accompanied by an instantaneous increase in voltage called a ‘spike’.

At the very least, all important electronics, he counseled, should be safeguarded by surge protectors with low let-through voltage ratings, so as to even out the fluctuations in electricity. Regular outlet strips are not helpful unless they contain a surge suppression capability.

Dable also said that the next step is to close off any possible entry for surges, including any connection leading into the unit, such as AC, network serial or phone lines, by selecting a surge protector with telephone, data, line, coax protection.

He noted that the third step is to consider those critical devices that would benefit from continued operation during an outage.

“An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) provides battery-supplied backup power during a blackout and units can be sized according to the amount of Volt-ampere (VA) or watts required to keep these devices up and running,” he said.

As said by him, computer users could further benefit from the use of power management software, which monitors the quality of power entering the user’s building, keeps a log of power events, and notifies the user if any preset threshold has been reached.

“Connected to a UPS, this software also provides the ability to automatically and safely shut down operating systems and certain running applications, as well as save any data ‘in progress,’” Dable said.

Lastly, Dable said that compatibility is another major consideration as the information technology industry, and subsequently as the number of vendors have continued to grow.

“Select a vendor that is able to integrate a wide array of desktop operating systems, network management tools and software applications, as well as a variety of device plug types, data line connectors and voltage requirements,” he advised.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

W.Afritel’09 holds in June

THE 2009 edition of the West African International Telecommunications and Information Communications Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel), is set to hold in June this year, according to the organizers.

Assistant Manager, Marketing at the sole local partner of the organizers, Exhibition Management Services (EMS), IT & Telecom Digest, Mr. Afor Kechi, said that the curtains have opened for exhibitors’ registration for the ninth edition of the regional event.

He also said that this year’s event would bring to the sub-region new and cutting edge technologies as well as products and services that are just about now hitting the developed economies.

He equally said that returning and potential new exhibitors have begun to jostle to be a part of the 2009 W.Afri.Tel edition, “which has earned for itself the title of West Africa’s leading platform for showcasing the latest and the best technologies from across the world.”

Kechi quoted the Managing Director, EMS, Mr. John Thompson, in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel as saying he is delighted to see the phenomenal growth and changes that the telecom revolution in Nigeria, which began in 2001, two months after the first W.Afri.Tel was held, has continued to open new windows of opportunities for Nigerians and West Africans alike.

“When we initiated W.Afri.Tel in 2001, we did so desirously to bring to the Nigerian people the benefits and opportunities that technologies offer; I am delighted that nine years down the line, we have been proven right in our foresight that Nigeria is a country with limitless opportunities, and therefore deserves an international
exhibition hence we introduced W.Afri.Tel,” he said.

Stressing that W.Afri.Tel 2009, scheduled to hold between June 2 and 4 at the New Expo Centre, Ocean View, Victoria Island, Lagos, has been designed to focus principally on bringing to Nigeria new technologies, products and services that are just making inroads into the market place.

“There are new technologies, products and services that are coming up now across the world. The good thing is that Nigeria has leapfrogged in various areas technologically, because she did not have to suffer under any legacy old technologies. Therefore, it becomes a lot easier as well to introduce new technologies, products and services to Nigeria at this time that the world is advancing in leaps and bounds,” Thompson said.

Nigeria’s sole agent for W.Afri.Tel, IT & Telecom Digest, assured that this year’s event will surpass the previous years, according to the Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Mkpe Abang.

“We’re making every effort to accommodate all our loyal and new exhibitors, because space is limited. However, we‘ve no choice but allocate the available space on a first-come-first-served basis,” he declared.

Abang pointed out that over the years, W.Afri.Tel has built a reputation to become the sub-region’s biggest and most professional exhibition.

Affirming this position, the Exhibition Manager at EMS, Ms. Gillian Pope, said that despite rush for allocation it must follow due process of first come, first serve.

“So, it is understandable that companies that want to get the most exposure never want to miss this event. Unfortunately we are only able to provide space for those that confirm their booking early as space allocation is on a first-confirmed first-allocated basis,” she said.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

SA Tourism creates website for Nigeria

IN the bid to further attract Nigerians traveling public to South Africa, the country’s Tourism agency has created a website, www.southafrica.net/nigeria, specifically for Nigerians to infuse destination awareness.

Trade Relations Manager at SA Tourism, Thuto Sethole, told Champion Infotel that the site launched last quarter is dedicated offering on its website for Nigerians to upload pictures, videos or write on their South African travel experiences after visiting the country.

Launched in November last year, Sethole said that the site is an invitation to Nigerians to utilize the multi-media, interactive platform to share their experience while in South Africa and stand a chance to win another trip to South Africa.

The website which offers opportunity for visitors to create their travel itinerary, make online bookings from selected tour packages by Nigerian tour operators and also affords online registration to enter for the competition to win the trip to South Africa.

"We believe that it is better for Nigerians to share their South African experiences with their fellow citizens as opposed to us telling them what they will experience in South Africa", Sethole said.

The launch of the website, Sethole said, was a sequel to the success attained in the storyteller campaign embarked upon late last year to promote the destination to Nigerian hyper wealthy individuals and business professionals.

Recalling that last September, South Africa Tourism sponsored selected Nigerian story tellers who were treated like royalty to an all-expense paid trip to South Africa to see the scenic beauty, the vast array of attractions with which the country is endowed and also to enjoy the warm and lavish hospitality of the South African people.

This was with the aim of making them relive their experiences to the larger Nigerian society upon their return to the country.

Those who made the trip included Chief Sonny and Susan Iroche, Mr. Gbenga and Ibidolapo Akinyombo, entertainment impresario, Guy Murray Bruce and the current most beautiful girl in Nigeria, Adaeze Igwe.

Mrs. Ibidolapo Akinyombo, a PR consultant, described her South African experience as ‘unforgettable’ saying "I wonder why anybody would rather travel out of Africa for recreation when all they can ask for is in South Africa. »

Mr. Akinyombo, director of a motor company recounted, "I never imagined one could get such a wonderful experience in Africa. South Africa is somewhere one would really love to retire."

According to Chief Sunny Iroche, politician, estate developer and motivational speaker, "South Africa, is Africa’s best kept secret. It is a complete tourist’s haven because whatever I always travel for in Europe and America, I found that and more in South Africa".

Mrs. Stella Iroche, a banker on her part noted, "Not only should South Africa be known for its wine. It should also be known for its cuisine and the warm hospitality of its exuberant people, not forgetting its value for money and affordable shopping and options".

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Cisco boss urges focus on long term growth, recovery

CHAIRMAN and Chief Executive Officer of Cisco, Mr. John Chambers, has urged global business leaders to focus on long-term growth and recovery from the present economic crunch.

Speaking at the just ended World Bank Economic summit in Davos, Switzerland, he said that the next phase of the Internet offers an opportunity for bold steps to be taken.

He also tasked political as well as business leaders across the world to extend their focus beyond short-term stability to long-term growth and recovery in the wake of the current global financial crisis.

A press statement from Cisco Nigeria, endorsed by the Marketing Manager, Ms. Owen Nwelih, quoted Chambers as saying, “The companies and countries that will succeed in the next period of economic development are those that look beyond the short term and focus on the future.”

According to Chambers, doing so, “would require a vision, an ability to make course corrections in strategy and the skills to execute against long term goals. It will also require the foresight to recognize market transitions and then invest in the areas that will create new industries and jobs for tomorrow.”

The world, he said, was on the verge of the next wave of innovation and productivity growth fueled by the Internet when the global economic crisis emerged.

“The first phase, began more than 15 years ago as the Internet changed the way we sold and bought products, managed our businesses and communicated with our customers and communities,” he noted.

Stressing that the Internet of the future will be centered on a combination of networked technologies, video and social networking, which has the potential to transform the global standard of living with a speed and efficiency far greater than what we thought possible.

The next internet experience, he said, will enable “a profound level of collaboration that will change the way we think, the speed by which we invent, how we connect and share information and the extent to which we can sustain our environment.”

Thus, he canvassed the need for world leaders to invest in the future by beginning to prepare for the economic upturn.

“Now, is the time to take the bold steps necessary to enable a new economy built on innovation, collaboration, operational excellence and sustainability. If we continue to invest in the future the implications are transformational, we will have a more world, with strong economies, job growth, education and healthcare as well as the ability to deliver on new energy efficient technologies that will allow our global community to thrive,” Chambers said.

While the challenge of today’s unique economic environment is very real, he pointed out that the value of a global partnership has never been more important for the post-crisis world.

“Together, we must embrace the next phase of the Internet to guide our global community into a more prosperous future,” he asserted.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

ALTON endorses launch of CEIR

*To curb stolen mobile devices

TELECOMMUNICA-TIONS operators in the country have endorsed the last week’s launch of the Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) to checkmate the avalanche of stolen phones by the Federal Government.

The multimillion Naira anti-theft mobile phone scheme was spear-headed by the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with NetVisa GSMSecured Nigeria Limited and was commissioned by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Reacting to the official commencement of practical effort at curbing mobile phone theft, the operators under the aegis of Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) told Champion Infotel in a Short Messaging Service (SMS) chat that they endorsed holistically the project which was commissioned last Tuesday, at Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

“Yes, we did (endorse it),” ALTON chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo said.

He also confirmed that his group had been working with the government and licensee, the NetVisa GSMSecured Nigeria Limited to ensure a worthy process.

“We have been through a process with them,” he declared, stressing that the buttom line is that it would massively benefit the subscribers and give a boost to the telecommunications sector in the country.

“We endorse the initiative in the interest of our subscribers and the telecom industry,” he enthused.

Commenting earlier, the chief executive officer, NetVisa, Prince Emeka Uchendu said the process took three years to accomplish at this point and went through successful trials.

The initiative, he said, though put together by his firm, is in relationship with the global operators group, the GSM Association (GSMA) and Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).

Also, he noted that with the commissioning done with, it has paved the way for the full implementation of the project by all mobile operators in the country, via facilitating operators’ readiness to guard against stolen phones and subsequently bar such devices when it is appropriately proved and reported by their rightful owners.

According to him, “The task of combating the menace of stolen phones in Nigeria is enormous and has risen to become a very frightening and national issue, mostly when a lot of lives are wasted everyday in the bid for criminals to steal mobile phones.”

Uchendu emphasized that the need for the solution propelled the primary concern of the regulator, NCC, which rose to the occasion to call for expression of interest and eventually licensed his firm after due process.

“In the past three years, we, at NetVisa have been working with mobile network operators to put a system in place that will curtail the theft of mobile phones in Nigeria and the regional West African countries,” he asserted.

This process, he said, culminated in the deployment of a Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) and is ready to implement this for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“It is for the social well-being of all Nigerians who use mobile phones,” he said, encouraging subscribers in the country to ensure they promptly report theft of their phones, especially mobiles to the nearest police station and their network operator.

Revealing that beginning from this month, February 2009, Nigeria would be able to block effectively any stolen mobile phone certified by the operators as may be reported by the owner with relevant evidence to support the claim so as to avoid frivolous claims.

He, however, estimated that about 1million mobile phones are stolen every year since the commencement of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) in 2001.

Uchendu, therefore, cautioned that at the beginning, the second hand phones would be waived from immediate blocking, since they may not have been stolen originally from this part of the world, but warned that in the months to come, this would change as the regulation would become stiff.

He explained that the last 10 years has seen the International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) embedded by manufacturers in the mobile devices changing from Random Access Memory (RAM) to Read Only Memory (ROM), hence the CEIR installed have the capacity to block any modern phone reportedly stolen among mobile operators globally; rendering such phones useless in Nigeria.

“What this means is that with ROM, the IMEI numbers are visible but cannot be altered and any attempt could result in damaging the phone,” he explained, enlightening that IMEI is a 15 digit code transmitted to the network each time a subscriber attempts to make call on a given network from a mobile handset, even as it is free to register stolen.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Speakeezee shops open nationwide

ACCLAIMED total telecommunication solutions provider, Private Networks Nigeria (PNN) Limited, has opened its mobile retail stores known as “Speakeezee,” across the six geo-political zones in the country.

Managing Director and chief executive, PNN, Alhaji AbdulRahman Abiola-Odunowo, who disclosed this, said that the stores were designed to be one-stop-shops for the sale, maintenance and repair of a wide range of mobile telephone brands and their accessories.

“Speakeezee chain of retail stores will, in addition provide excellent customer care, after sales service, bill payment, SIM card activation and Value Added Services (VAS),” he said.

Recalling that the opening of these stores were in fulfillment of PNN promise to reach out in all the six geopolitical zones in line with the expansion capital inflow from Aureos West Africa.

Alhaji Abiola-Odunowo also highlighted the fact that the retail stores were expected to fulfill the missing component within the Nigerian telecoms environment to fill the void that exists in the delivery of excellent technical support and unbiased service in the retail sector of the industry.

The opening of these stores, he said, is the beginning of great things to come, stressing that the Speakeezee brand is synonymous with value and quality.

“As you all know, Speakeezee mobile stores have been around since 1992 and have remained consistent in offering intelligent cutting edge services. We are taking mobile retail business to a level of excellence, “ he said.

Abiola-Odunowo, further said that the first phase of the roll out plan comprising the opening of 10 stores, commenced in September 2008, and were completed and the stores are now open for business.

He further said some of the locations for the 10 Speakeezee stores include Ikeja, Surulere and Chase Mall, Victoria Island. Others are, Fajuyi Roundabout Ado-Ekiti, Graceland Plaza Asaba, Airport Road Benin, Nma Shopping Mall Port-Harcourt, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kano, Murtala Muhammed Way Jos and Ceddi Plaza Abuja.

Equally speaking, Manager, Planning and Product Development at PNN, Mr. Gbenga Fadojutimi said that Speakeezee is positioned to provide excellent value to the Nigerian public who have consistently yearned for quality and independent service offerings.

“Mobile technology is evolving at a pace that needs a dynamic and forward looking outfit like Speakeezee to adapt to the ever increasing change in the telecoms industry and bring intelligent cutting edge services to the door step of Nigerians,” he said, just as work has commenced on the second phase of the roll out plan for stores in Lagos (Awolowo Road, Lagos Island, Apapa, Yaba, Lekki, Isolo), Calaber, Owerri, Kaduna and Maiduguri.

All the outlets, he said, would provide connections to Etisalat, MTN Zain, Glo, Starcomms, Multilinks-Telkom, Visafone, Zoom Mobile and all other networks, are open from 8.00am - 5pm every weekday and 9am - 2pm on Saturdays.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Nokia made mobile devices more powerful - Marcel

HEAD, Channel Management for Nokia Nigeria, Mr. Marcel Van-De-Pas has said that Nokia in efforts to be on top of the mobile world, has made mobile devices powerful.

This, he said, has turned Nokia into the largest camera maker globally.

Speaking at the convergence fusion, held in Lagos by Nokia, Mr. Van-De-Pas, said that Nokia’s emergence as the largest camera maker was because it sold 550 million mobile devices globally with 300 million music devices, while its devices which come with Global Position System (GPS) enabled sold 35 million.

He also said that new Nokia N-Series models nowadays arrive fully packed with fun to add pleasure to life.

The event which saw to the media unveiling of new N-series convergence devices, N79, N85 and N96, he said is to announce the availability of latest from Nokia stable to hit Nigeria market.

According to him, the N79, N85 and the N96 provide the best in mobile technology as they combine camera with a top of the range music player, computer, electronic mail (e-mail) and more into a single multi-purpose device that keeps users always connected to the world.

Nokia N79, he said, moves one step up from the previous model, combining a sleek design with great music capabilities, internet and computer functions that are sure to delight.

On the Nokia N85, Marcel described as full computer power on the go.
He explained that the Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display and a broad range of features help to keep users entertained, connected and informed “no matter where you are.”

Van-De-Pas further said the N95, which is better known in some circles as ‘The Daddy’ comes fully loaded with a 5 mega pixel, auto-focus Carl Zeiss lensed camera, dual slide capabilities, a 16 Gigabytes (GB) internal expandable internal memory and lots more.

Also speaking, Communications Manager, Nigeria & West Africa, Mrs. Ngozi Ife Anene, said that innovation in mobility is part of the very lifeblood of Nokia.

“We’re consistently going one step further with every new device and this new set of phones from the N-Series proves that,” she said.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

ICT4D: Economic crunch, Free & Open Source

GLOBAL INTERCONNECTEDNESS
The extant speculative-economic induced financial crises of the Western hemisphere that is spreading like wild fire and reverberating in all nooks and corner of the global village is gaining momentum and gradually building up as a global economic depression.

With rapid development and pervasiveness of Internet connectivity and the increasing global human interactiveness, the awareness of the negative global economic phenomenon has been swift. As humanity is increasingly becoming dependent on the world-wide Internet connectivity through the development and possibilities of unlimited multi-layered services that the Internet technologies enable, it seems, will provide the catalyst to trigger the next economic development and growth.

GLOBAL SHARING COMMUNITY
The future global sharing economic consciousness will considerably deviate from the current selfish consumer oriented materialist economics, valued solely for wealth aggrandizement. The sharing economics will be oriented towards community and sharing.

In other words, the future economic practices will be measured in terms of shared value. In this regard, future economic value is reflective on the consumer margin – the cheaper or easily affordable a commodity or service is, the greater the number of consumer and therefore, the more value the attribute.

The philosophy behind the technology to propel the new global economic dispensation is seen solely in the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement. Community will once again become the driving force of every human development and sharing will be the ultimate outcome.

Businesses will readily adopt FOSS in order to be competitive and meet a high productive consumer margin. Economic growth will become a global phenomenon and be sought world-wide within the reaches of the global village.

The economic environment of the future is global but the hot spots will be the developing countries, like Nigeria, with sizable poverty stricken populace. The developed economies are already engulfed in a continuous cycle of structural adjustment with no end in sight. The diminishing return cycle induced economic adjustment in the developed world will continue until it reaches the level of dependency on the developing economies in order to satisfy and maintain the Western consumptive addiction. In other words, the most uneconomical environments of today are the most promising economic centers of tomorrow.

GLOBAL ECONOMY IN TROUBLE
Hitherto, the developing and underdeveloped economies of the world have grappled with the twin problem of development and under-performing economies. The irreconcilable up-hill-task burden of development challenging the developing nations has no ebb in sight as the order of relationship between the developed economies and the developing economies is looped in a vicious circle of a competitive economic order. Indeed, not one single so called “developed” nation has taken off the development-working-gloves for a moment’s rest. In actual fact, they are all still developing! In order to change the unfair economic status quo inherent in the relations between the “developing” and “the developed”nations, the consumption oriented ultra-capitalist economic ideology ought to give way to a rationally tempered economic ideology of reasoning: An economic ideal that is fair and people oriented. Michael Schumacher in the book, Small Is Beautiful, may have implied the ‘reasoning’ criteria when he proposes an economy ‘with a human face’ or what he referred to as the Buddhist economics.
Now that the chicken of the developed economies are coming home to roost and the high walls behind the Western economic manipulative fingers are crumbling, revealing unruly gaming economic schemes, the developing economies (especially Nigeria) should immediately head back to the drawing board to question, understand and discover every loophole in the adopted model of the Western economic blueprint that has, hitherto, failed them and redraw a new independent economic plan that is persistent and locally sustainable.

NEW ECONOMIC ORDER, NEW TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS
The current global economic depression that is building up will eventually reach its peak, but it will stretch the boundaries of human imaginations and creativity, giving rise to a new economic order that is bracketed in community and sharing. The shift in economic value will open new ways of seeing things and usher in novel technological solutions that are essentially communal, all-embracing, affordable and readily available. Humanity would readily grasp the wisdom to see the folly in the development of technologies targeting a handful of the global population. Thus, the ideal of inventions and technologies that is designed and implemented for all of humanity at a go would constitute the primary question in scientific thinking and the philosophy of science.

TECHNOLOGY AND PORVERTY ERADICATION
Technology is not God. Technology does not reside any where. Technology does not belong to anyone. Technology is everywhere. In fact, techné is the art or process or know-how or means to an end or outcome. Technology is derived from the Greek word techné (which could as a matter of fact be originally Egyptian). Thus, technology is simply a combined articulation of thinking and organized process of reaching a predetermined outcome or solution. Therefore, from time immemorial, technology has accompanied even the most primitive of humanity and many animals. So, what is this fallacy about technology transfer? Is it not possible that one human being or animal can copy another human being or animal? When for example, A copies the knot tying skill of B, has B transferred his skill to A? Is there a technology transfer between A and B? After all, the first steam engine and the mother of all ever made engines is invented in Egypt. It was aptly copied by other human beings who saw the usefulness of the steam mobility. What is stopping people in the developing world from copying? What is stopping Nigerians from copying existing technologies even if we are too reluctant to develop ours? Again, Nigeria is endowed with huge population and human resources, massive raw material deposits and excellent weather conditions. What is stopping intelligent Nigerians from developing or copying existing technologies to eradicate poverty in Nigeria?

FOSS IS TRULY FREE
Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is truly what the name implies. Granted that we in the developing world is so scared to copy technologies from the developed world, are we also not capable of using FOSS that we are even encouraged to rip and use, hook line and sinker? People in the developing world like Nigeria need not pay a dime on software if they adopt, adapt and develop FOSS. What can we not do: from desktop to servers and VoIP platforms to super computers.
In 2004 Nigerian software import was close to US 1 billion dollars. http://www.nsdi.org.ng/chairman%27s_statement.pdf . That kid of money expended on software could be directed to vital infrastructural development.

TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION
Nigeria and similar developing nations deserve nothing short of a technological revolution that is pervasive, thorough and complete. Such a revolution would entail rethinking and guided by a simple methodology of bracketing everything we have hitherto, known and conceivable, in order to see the essences of all that we have ever known and can ever conceive, as purely as they are in themselves. Adapted to technological development, for instance, this will lead to a technological ground-zero but will form the basis of an epoch that will unleash novel technological thinking, innovativeness and creativity throughout the developing world and Nigeria specifically.

*Mr. Sunny Odum contributed this piece from Finland

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

New Year, new fundamentals in IT career

IN life we move from one phase to another. Out goes old, in comes new. New beginnings, new commitments. New season, landing that job, completing the course, getting certified, searching for work experience means new goals. In the New Year, we talk about resolutions. But new is not an end in itself. New thinking, but is there maturity in the fundamentals?

Progress in our career journey entails putting the new in the mix with the fundamentals of career growth. Is this a new time for you? Beginner in Information Technology (IT) scene? Or is it the start of the New Year? In setting fresh targets you should always consider the top five career branding and growth issues.

Don’t joke with Number One!

Whatever new targets you choose, career growth is an inside job. Information Technology is important, rewarding and challenging. Expand your mental bandwidth. Nothing limits education and effort more than a confused mind.

Self development is about puzzle solving – this requires persistence, confidence and enthusiasm. New opportunities may mean new hurdles. Never allow challenges to bully you into submission. Instead think on your feet; expect the unexpected.

So, what if you messed up? Or you’re not getting results. Learn from your experiences; focus on what you can change.

Strong internals are critical. Unfortunately believe in silver bullets, magic keys or 100 per cent guarantees. To get anything of value you must sacrifice.

Believe you can add value and believe in action rather than excuses. If number one is not okay, nobody and no new stuff can do anything for you. New or old, taking this serious is always the difference between ordinary and outstanding.

Know the why and what you are building

It’s a new day filled with activity but for what? Are you in IT just for the ride? I don’t think so. Nothing can stop purpose and action. However, new targets and intentions are not enough.

Purpose is only meaningful when you create yourself through what you do – technical and soft. Getting that software job isn’t the only thing that defines you. How do you treat other members of your team? Do you communicate to score points or to communicate? What do you actually do in the technical arena?

How will your brand new database skills provide business opportunities? New for money or for purpose? New goals that do not connect with your purpose or improve on your ability to contribute make no sense. New should be beyond immediate, tangible reward. Your activity and effort defines you. Contributor, collector or exhibitionist?

Carve Your niche
New doors to opportunity in IT often come with competition. Do you want to stand out? Then be different with a purpose. It’s easy to stay in the crowd, but status quo is for dinosaurs.

We waste energy and time concentrating only on the crowded, noisy and popular areas. Don’t allow yourself to be limited! Going beyond the obvious involves taking risks. Nobody said it would be easy. Creativity is not painless, it involves sweat. Don’t choose only the comfortable and the familiar.

Opportunity comes from meeting needs. Carve a niche in the humble and forgotten areas of value - the unusual, the unexpected and the unconventional. Are you happy being stuck in traffic - doing what everybody is doing? It’s hard to rise above mediocre levels without creativity. The new turning should make you different with a purpose. Use the new to seize the initiative in the wide ICT space.

Communicate and Be Positional
How do people feature in your new dreams? To make headway technical professionals must improve their ability to market and influence others. Communicate and justify your actions. Don’t assume. You must communicate, network and build bridges with colleagues, managers and acquaintances. People are your most important resource. – over 80% of opportunities come from personal networking effort as opposed to media or traditional advertising.

Furthermore, even if there is a need, what’s your positioning like? Looking for fish in the desert? Searching for monkeys in the ocean? Don’t make me laugh! Check your positioning. It isn’t about the perfect qualifications. Are you in the right place - a position of advantage? Although there are opportunities in all areas of IT will the new take you to a place where your strengths can produce results?

Professionalism
As you explore new opportunities don’t neglect professionalism. Professionalism is more than becoming an IT top gun, getting certified, or the “meal ticket” job. For example, can you be trusted? You have the skills but what image do you cultivate? Do you promise heaven only to deliver hell? Are you trustworthy, honest, responsible, supportive, law-abiding, tolerant?

A problem in IT education is that many place more priority on guarantees, grades and certificates without any real consideration for behaviour. Will you stand up for what is right, even if the crowd differs? Or is your tune “Everybody’s doing it”? Beyond knowledge and experience, are you and your interests your only agenda? Professionalism means you must go beyond yourself. New targets will have limited impact if you don’t make professionalism your priority.

I hope you’ve seen the importance of being strong in the fundamentals as you explore fresh directions in IT. To breakaway from the pack, new cannot be for the sake of new. May your new phase lead to fulfillment and fruitfulness.

*Mr. Jide Awe, CEO Jideawe.com wrote in from Lagos.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Ndukwe speaks @ ‘09 Digital Switchover forum

The chief executive officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has been slated to thrill participants among other guest speakers, at the fourth annual Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum, which returns to South Africa this week.

Ndukwe is to feature in the regulatory discussion at the annual Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum, which opens tomorrow, February 3, 2009, at the Sandton Sun Hotel, Johannesburg and organised by the London-based Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).

Manager, International Events & Corporate Communications, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, Mr. Samuel Fletcher, told Champion Infotel that over 150 delegates are expected to grace the three-day event.

Fletcher in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel said that Dr. Ndukwe would be discussing alongside Dr. Ham-Mukasa Mulira, Minister of ICT, Uganda; Hon Fatim Badjie Janneh, Minister of Communications, The Gambia; Hon. Mr. Mothetjoa Metsing, Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Lesotho; Norman Ndivhuho Muzhelele, Acting Deputy Director General, Department of Communications, Government of South Africa; Paris Mashile, Chairman, ICASA; Hon Eng A. B. Kowero, Director of Communication, Ministry of Communications Science and Technology, Tanzania; Major (Rtd) John Tandoh, Ex-Director-General, National Communications Authority, Ghana. Other speakers are Daniel Obam, Chairman, Digital Migration Taskforce, Kenya; Bernard Forson Jr, Director-General, National Communications Authority, Ghana; Trilock Dwarka, Chairman, Information and Communication Techologies Authority, Mauritius in the ministerial and regulatory discussions.

He also said that the three-day event, scheduled for February 3 through 5, would address major issues relating to the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

Some of the issues anticipated to form the agenda include the impact and implications of dual illumination; the process whereby countries broadcast on both analogue and digital systems, practical insights into the ongoing implementation, understanding the Pan African policy, regulatory and operational context for digital broadcasting, and the special regulatory challenges within a transformational broadcasting environment.

Equally, he noted that part of the deliberations would focus on creating an enabling innovative environment for the broadcasting industry, the developmental impact of digitization and defining the digital future for African broadcasting as well as a special focus day on the last day to examine digital content production and distribution.

Fletcher quoted the Chief Executive Officer, CTO, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, as saying that the event has been used by the CTO to create an enabling platform over the years to help bring stakeholders in the industry together to exchange ideas and benchmark strategies for an effective switchover.

Spio-Garbrah pointed out that at a time of a global economic crunch that is dampening investment in innovation and new technology adoption, African countries face a special challenge in proceeding with the necessary policy, legislation, legal, operational, technological, managerial, editorial and creativity implications of the digital revolution in the broadcast industry.

“With technological convergence, the entry of telephone and Information Technology (IT) companies into the broadcast space and the growing access to mobile communications of Africans, there are also tremendous opportunities for discerning investors in this field,” he said.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah assured on CTO’s commitment and determination to continue to play a leading role in ensuring that Africa as a continent is not left behind in the technological revolution taking place around the world.

CTO is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, business and civil society organisations.

Also, it provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the specific areas of telecommunications, IT, broadcasting and the Internet.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Cybercrime costs businesses N147trn in 2008 – McAfee

Global business community lost about $1 trillion, about N148,700,000,148,396, to cyber criminals, especially on intellectual property and expenditures for repairing associated damages, according to a study by anti-virus entity, McAfee.

The study by McAfee made this projection based on responses to a survey of more than 800 chief information officers in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Japan, China, India, Brazil and Dubai.

The respondents estimated that they lost data worth a total of $4.6bn (N684bn) and spent about $600m cleaning up after breaches, McAfee said.

The report, entitled ‘Unsecured Economies: Protecting Vital Information’ was released Thursday at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

It also finds that developing countries spend more money on protecting intellectual property than companies in Western countries.

According to respondents, the ongoing recession is only increasing the security risk for corporations, with 42 per cent reporting that displaced workers were the biggest threat to sensitive information on the network.

There were some other interesting geographical-related results, even as over one quarter of the respondents said they avoid storing data in China, and 47 per cent of the Chinese respondents said they believed the US poses the biggest security threat to their data.


ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Kaspersky bags software of the year award

Leading developer of secure content management solutions, Kaspersky Lab, has bagged the “Software of the Year” awards in Russia.

The award organized by the Russia’s main communication portal Mail.ru and Softline, a leader in software licensing, training and consulting was in the ‘Technologies’ categories.

Speaking on the awards, Head, Market Research at Kaspersky Lab for the Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region, Oleg Gudilin, said they were pleased with the result and believe it is fully deserved.

“Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 integrates Kaspersky Lab’s latest technological developments, placing this security solution firmly in the vanguard of antivirus protection,” he said.

Also speaking, Manager, Internet Projects at Softline, Stanislav Zharov, said they were glad to see that users appreciated the efforts of those companies that have launched new improved versions of their products this year.

“Kaspersky Internet Security 2009’s win is further proof of that the results of the voting reflect a positive trend in the development of Russian software as well as new achievements,” he said.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 was the only antivirus product among the nominees and came top of the “Technologies” category.

Launched in 2007, “Software of the Year” is the first set of national awards for the software industry in Russia. Its goal is to support Russian software vendors and promote their products among users.

Over a period of one month, more than 15,000 visitors to the Soft@Mail.Ru (http://soft.mail.ru) portal voted for the best software products in seven categories – “Web Site”, “Design”, “Help”, “Support”, “Functionality”, “Interface” and “Technology”.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Steve Wonder calls for accessible technology

•For the blind

Soul music legend, Stevie Wonder has called on technology companies to make their gadgets more accessible to blind people.

The star, who became blind as a premature baby, says he uses every piece of technology he can in order to help him in everyday life, including a Blackberry and a talking iPod, reports Charles Okoh with agency input.

Some new devices such as touch screens pose a particular challenge to blind people as they do not offer the tactile feel of devices with buttons.

The star said it was only fair and right in those circumstances that manufacturers make it possible for adaptors to be purchased. In the case of a touch screen phone - that could be a tactile unit to sit on top of it.

“Being more accessible is always a plus and I think really, for various companies that are working with this technology and making it exciting and accessible for people who can see, it would take very little to make it accessible to everyone,” he said.

Urging technology manufacturers to come the aid of people like him.

“So, I encourage all the manufacturers to do that,” he said, stressing “when you can ... make it accessible and make it possible, you should just include that in the overall picture, you have a growing number of people, aging people that will need things to be more accessible as well as the hundreds of thousands of blind people in the world, so just let’s keep it real,” he said.

Wonder said access to technology was far better than 20 years ago.

“I think just as having access to information, being able to read books, electronic brail, and digital information that are accessible has made things far easier for a blind person.

He recalled the early days of the Kurzweil reading machine which at the time was the size of two large suitcases. Now such devices are no bigger than a camera.

Wonder said that despite some amazing stories of technological advances enabling people to recover their sight, he did not believe they would benefit him - although he had seen a doctor who had carried out some testing.

He believed he lost his sight as premature baby when he had insufficient oxygen in an incubator.

Despite this, in more than 40 years as a singer-songwriter, he has racked up over 30 Top Ten hits, 22 solo Grammy Awards, nine US number ones, a lifetime achievement award, and sold 100 million albums.

His call is being supported by the National Federation of the Blind in the United States, which said that a little more thought during the design process could make a huge difference for anyone with a disability.

For instance, most microwave ovens have flat control panels, but replacing them with slightly raised buttons would enable a blind person to navigate their way around because there are points of reference.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D