Importance of emergency numbers

Features of the week:


Over the years, Nigerians have lost friends, relatives and even properties to incidents that could have been averted, simply because there was no known emergency numbers to reach out when necessary. REMMY NWEKE in this report stresses the importance of emergency numbers.

Preamble:
ALMOST a daily occurrence, incidents happen that make some good spirited Nigerians to reach out to the relevant authorities for an emergency assistance. Penultimate Wednesday was not an exception as he drove through the Third Mainland bridge, Mr. Bisi Oye saw some motorists parking their vehicles on top of the bridge to have a glimpse of the scene.

For Mr. Oye, a public relations consultant, the first thing that came to his mind was to alert the emergency groups with the Critical Rescue International (CRI), which was launched a few years back by a telecommunications operator, Econet, which has since transformed into Zain on his GSM phone via 112.

The response he got was that already another Nigerian has initiated a call a few minutes earlier to them and CRI crew is on the way to the scene.

With his mind now settled that help is on the way, he continued his trip to Victoria Island and at Falomo, Mr. Oye tuned the car radio to Eko FM which fortunately was broadcasting live a session between the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and Lagos State governor, Mr. Raji Fashola, on the occasion of his 400 days in office.

Lagos wants 767 emergency number:
Gov. Fashola used the platform to appeal to telecom regulator in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the Lagos State emergency number 767.
According to the governor, the appeal has become imperative in the face of recent aid the State received due to active usage of the Save Our Soul (SOS) number. He cited an instance of a robbery attack the week before the meeting, at the Lekki axis of Lagos, of which a good citizen was able to put a call through to the 767 and in matter of 90 seconds, the police anti-robbery team was at the scene and was able to forestall the activities of the underworld men.

“We urge the NCC to allow the number to remain active,” he solicited, although the regulator noted complicity in SOS number with another special number within the sector, Fashola said that Lagos State made representation to the federal government in that regard, and as matter of fact the issue formed part of the agenda at his recent meeting with the Vice President in Abuja.


Emergency centre contract awarded:
And a fortnight ago, NCC announced that work has commenced on the N2.4 billion Emergency Communications Centres, which contract was formally awarded on February 19 as proclaimed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the construction of the centres in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to the Head, Public Affairs at NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, the centres would cost N2.4 billion, while the communications gadgets would be installed at N1.8 billion ($13.5 million), whereas the local contractors handling the project have been given 16 weeks, approximated four months, to complete the contract.

He also said that a Chinese firm, Huwaei Technologies, was selected and given 24 weeks to supply and install the equipment in the 37 centres nationwide, just as he expressed optimism that the contractors who have moved to the sites would deliver the projects on schedule, stressing that the importance of an emergency communications system in the country could not be quantified monetarily.

Better late than never:
“Nigeria is one of the countries of the world without an emergency communications system. These centres would cater for everything about emergency that relates to the lives of the people and their well being. It is late in coming, as Nigeria ought to have built such centres 20 years back, it is not about money, it is about getting it to happen. It is a custom-made, sophisticated and state of the art network,” he asserted.

Explaining that with the centres “the NCC, hospitals, police and fire departments, would utilise a toll free emergency system to ensure that callers receive help as quickly as possible,” he declared, reiterating that since the contract was approved by FEC, it means that all the relevant due process must have been taken into account.

Section 107 and NCC:
Based on the NCC’s invitation for bids in 2007, which is in line with provisions of section 107 (3) (b) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, the NCC, is mandated to facilitate the deployment of a comprehensive, seamless, ubiquitous and reliable end-to-end emergency communication infrastructure for Nigeria.

NCC also said that the purpose of the Emergency Communication Centres (ECC) is to receive all emergency calls (‘199’ calls) being made by subscribers on all national telecommunication networks. The call is to be received by a human operator (Call Agent) in the centre who will then alert the appropriate response agency (Fire Service, Police, Ambulance, and so on) via the same public telephone system or a communication network dedicated for emergency services.

NCC as the implementing agency for the project, no doubt, has concluded the necessary processes to arrive at the award of contract, which has been approved by FEC.

Call distribution via ECC:
As outlined by NCC, the ECC is expected to have a tandem switch/router and associated subsystems that would facilitate its performance of relevant functions not excluding having E1 links or trunk circuits to enable it interconnect with one or more public switches also known as Mobile Switching Centre (MSC).

E1, according to experts is ideal for voice traffic because voice is sampled at the same 8 Kilo Hertz (khz) rate, thus, E1 line has the capacity to carry upto 32 simultaneous voice conversions.

Additionally, ECC tends to provide telephony functions to enable availability of basic telephone service to the centre, that is, ability to dial from internal extension to the public telephony systems, as well as have the hardware and software capability to capture and decipher all call data transferred to it by public switches such as geographical coordinates of cell sites, Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates caller or geographical location of caller in a given city, state and local government.

NCC pointed out that there are both the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-based telephone systems in the country, besides the fixed land-lines, hence, the translation or mapping of cell site coordination cum identification of the geographical address of cell site; city, LGA, state, would be done by the public switch.

On the call distribution, NCC said that ECC would have the capability to display all these information on a computer screen or monitor attached to the particular extension or call agent receiving the call, while incoming calls must be routed to any idle call agent or keeps such a call(s) on queue until a call agent is free or at best, it should be able to route incoming call to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR), whereas waiting for a call agent to be free.

Database interface:
Equally, there would be a database query, where tandem switch or interface equipment with the capability of querying the database of response agencies in database server in order to extract the information simultaneously; The telephone number and geographical location of the three (3) nearest ambulance services in the order of proximity or approximated distance; The telephone numbers and geographical location of the three (3) nearest police stations to the caller; The telephone number and geographical location of the 3 nearest fire service stations or Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) offices to the caller to name a few.

This is in addition to the ability to initiate an automatic call-back, which must be the tandem switch/system, thus enabling the call agent or receptionist to call back the calling subscriber, without having to redial the number of the caller, by simply pressing a button or key.

The CRI connection:
In furtherance of the merits of this effort by NCC, a leading mobile telecommunications operator in the country, MTN Nigeria, also partnered recently the Critical Rescue International (CRI) with two emergency lines for its subscribers use nationwide.

Speaking at the launch held in Surulere-Lagos, the chief marketing officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Bola Akingbade, said the telecom operator is providing 191 for medical advisory services and 933 for emergency calls for MTN teeming subscribers in the country, otherwise called MTN Care lines.

According to him, MTN via the partnership is facilitating the services of CRI to all its customers, while CRI is the main service provider, stressing that though the service is currently available in the cities of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, it is intended to be extended to other parts of the country.

The medical director of CRI, Dr. Akin Akinjolire, said his outfit was incorporated in 2001 with the mission to save lives by offering effective emergency health services to Nigerians, therefore, it became the first of a national advanced medical paramedic company. “We are in business to manage medical emergencies wherever and whenever they occur in our area of operation,” he said, noting that on hand to deliver the innovative services is a team of uniquely qualified international and local medical personnel.

He also said that they offer 24/7 services, thus keen at offering first aid training for corporate staff, which would be a constant feature of this partnership with MTN.
ITRealms Online recalled that also through Zain 112 emergency line CRI provides emergency care service needed within the Nigerian nation - state fire, state police and state ambulance services for Zain subscribers initially in Lagos and may be Abuja and Port Harcourt.

Conclusion:
However, the subject of interest to Nigerians is whether they could be charged for initiating an emergency call on NCC provided emergency numbers as obtained currently in the CRI deal with some of the GSM operators for their subscribers.

And given the words of NCC’s spokesman, it would be a toll-free line - 199, anytime there is an emergency. Hence, one good aspect of the project is that dailing 199 emergency number would be free nationwide, instead of the limited emergency plans by some concerned operators like Zain and MTN currently.

Most of all, the initiative is commendable, because several lives and properties could have been saved if such scheme were in place years back. But then, thank God and the wisdom of the Federal Executive Council to support this project without politicization of the initiative.

As Nigerians await the completion of the ECC project, it is only honourable for every stakeholders beyond telecom sector to buy into the project by ensuring, especially the security services live up to their billings as well as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as enshrined in Act 12 as amended by Act 50 of 1999.

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Seamless service: Africa needs fibre optic without borders – Ndukwe

The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has advocated for a cross border fibre optic project through the continent of Africa.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, Saturday, to herald the end of the 2009 Nigerian Telecom Awards, as a guest lecturer, Dr. Ndukwe, who dwelt on ‘Using Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to develop and unite Africa’ noted that in order to avert the kind of experience recently witnessed in the industry, especially in Nigeria where services fall below expectation due to a cut on the South Atlantic 3 (SAT-3) there is an urgent need for African countries to embark on laying of fibre optic across its shores.

He pointed out that in a situation where there is an optic fibre cable across Africa, that as soon as any cut is experienced like in the Contonou axis, for instance, the affected country could easily switch over to the nearest country of Togo or even Chad.

He explained that the cut leg of the Contonou SAT-3 was from where the backbone company, Suburban got its link, basically due to incessant cutting of the Nigerian Telecommunications plc (NITEL) part of the SAT, which has been too frequent and gave rise for the Nigeria-based company to reach out to nearby Contonou, in order to cushion the short-falls of NiTEL SAT-3.

Ndukwe insisted that though in this case NITEL SAT-3 was not affected at all, but with the proposed African fibre optic, such incidents could easily be checkmated in matter of a few hours rather than the current situation whereby a ship has to travel from all the way to the point of repair, which could take up to two weeks before the subject matter or actual repair could even commence.

The cross border fibre optic initiative, the EVC said, would facilitate a borderless telecommunications service like the one-network scheme of Zain, which is one of the proud networks on the continent.

While also advocating that apart from telecommunications, other relevant sectors that boost the economic development, like power should as well be encouraged to be fashioned in this way.

This is because whenever there is a cable cut like that of SAT-3 recently, the entire country seem cut off from the world of telecommunications, which has become a life-wire of today’s world, elucidating that when a major cable like SAT-3 is cut, it is like the cutting of a major arthries in human is severed, thus resulting in low quality of service and eventually leading to customer dissatisfaction.
“No country is self-sufficient in ICT,” he declared, stressing that there must be a link between every country on the continent.

He maintained that with the African fibre optic without border in place, there is no time ICT services would go down, emphasizing that the need for interdependence among African countries.

Just as he called on government, operators and other stakeholders on the continent to embrace the concept so as to ensure seamless service delivery to the people of Africa.

“I would like governments, operators and stakeholders to encourage this – initiative – all over Africa,” he asserted.

Ndukwe expressed optimism that this latest proposal would form part of his major contributions at public engagements with various governments, operators and even fellow regulators under the African Telecommunications Union (ATU).

This is coming as he enjoined African Union (AU) to reposition ATU in terms of helping it to stand firm and focused in the current scheme of things and take the mantle as expected of an assemblage of African regulators by delving into core technology research and development that would ultimately accelerate benefits for the populace on the continent.

He added that by this, ATU would be relevant and contribute optimally in technological development of the African people.

“Fibre is more reliable in providing robust telecom infrastructure and as we always say, telecom is the infrastructure of infrastructure,” he maintained.

In his speech at the occasion, chairman of the 2009 telecom awards and former President of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, urged African leaders to always talk to each other so as to bring about meaningful development to their countries and the continent.

For him, he had since realized that communication over long distances especially across national frontiers required a lot of joint effort and collaboration between partner countries and entities engaged in providing such services.

“Of great importance is the need to ensure uniform standards of service through the spectrum, thus giving rise to bilateral and multilateral cooperation and agreements,” he said.

Kabbah identified telecommunications as a natural unifier and a platform on which countries and providers of equipment and services must collaborate for purposes of complementarity across borders and even within borders among operating parties.

“When we speak about the world being a global village, we are simply talking about how much the world has contracted both in time and space through developments in telecommunications,” he observed.

The event was attended by former President of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Tejan Kabbah, Ambassador Olusola, former Minister of Information, Chief Alex Akinyele.

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e-Governance has reduced corruption in Lagos – Fashola

Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has said that the introduction of e-governance in the state has reduced the incidences of corruption, nepotism and favouritism in the Lagos, reports CHARLES OKOH.

Governor Fashola who was speaking at the 5th Nigerian Telecom Development Lecture (NITDEL), over the weekend, said for the people to reap the benefits of e-governance, apart from the provision of basic infrastructure, there is a need for adequate public enlightenment campaign and that governance is about the people.

Governor Fashola who spoke on “e-governance, a virile strategy to curb corruption in Nigeria, also said the adoption of e-governance promotes the best form of participatory democracy as it allows the constituents direct participation in government activities without being physically present; re-engineers a new sense of citizenship as the people redefines their needs, welfare and responsibilities as well as enable the governed to communicate with their government, participate in government’s policy making and decisions.

Others are that it enables the people to call the government and its agencies to question if and when the need arises as well as allowing them to relate with each other in order to disseminate information that affects their communities.

Governor Fashola, who was represented by the General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) Mr. Joe Igbokwe, noted that with the adoption of e-governance, government agencies are constantly put under the searchlight of the citizens, which ensures probity, responsibility and stewardship, stating that governance is promoted and the citizens become the ultimate beneficiaries.

He called for partnership with service operators to ensure continuity and upgrade of facilities to make certain seamless and efficient service delivery, adding that the state government would continue to make the state business-friendly and a first choice for all investors.

Governor Fashola, pointed out that with the recent magistracy reform bill signed by the government which makes it mandatory for magistrates to sit on Saturdays, suspects will no longer be unduly remanded in custody and that the practice of taking records in long hands would be replaced with electronic recording and processing.

“We must come to terms with the realities and challenges in modern societies. The fact remains that we cannot continue to do things the same old ways we have been used to doing over the years and expect different results. To achieve the much desired, results, there must be a clear departure from the past and we must inculcate and imbibe fresh ideas that will engineer growth and ensure development in critical sectors of the economy,” he said.

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e-Book, Zinox strikes new deal

Leading public on-line library, the World e-Books Library (WEL), and Zinox Computers have entered into an exclusive deal for the West African market.

The partnership would introduce a new technically cutting edge e-knowledge product in Nigeria.

This product is a very powerful web-based e-knowledge tool that would differentiate the Zinox brand and accelerate customer satisfaction by innovatively empowering users of Zinox Computers with the world’s largest e-library service, with over 1,000,000 e-books.

Confirming this deal, Global Chief Marketing Officer, The WEL Limited, Mr. Walter Kny, said that this learning-development tool offers students, teachers, and parents e-resources that match their specific learning styles leading to improved academic performance.

“It is interactive and even offers tutoring support online in all disciplines. This digital content is aimed at making West Africa a 100 per cent e-literate and digital society by 2020, while strengthening Zinox as the destination ICT partner of all corporate and education authorities in the sub region,” he said.

Mr. Kny, also asserted at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Zinox Technologies Limited in Europe, recently that the choice of Zinox for this partnership was due its antecedents, reputation and pedigree.

Equally, he was impressed that an African company based in Nigeria has been tirelessly promoting the vision of knowledge democracy, hence, Kny commended the resilience of Zinox Group in sustaining the drive for IT penetration in West African sub-region.

Commenting, Zinox chairman, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, said that the digital knowledge content would be integrated into Zinox Computers as part of efforts at actualizing this partnership.

“It is a breakthrough for two main reasons; Firstly, it justifies the Zinox vision for a technology to enable people to learn anytime, anywhere; to empower the educational sector to produce world-class graduates that would lead Nigeria to her rightful place as the giant of Africa.

“Zinox has selflessly contributed to IT penetration in the education sector through discounted computer ownership projects and subsidized training schemes; in addition to the donation of digital laboratories and digital centers.

“Secondly, the partnership with the World e-Books Library, guarantees that every Zinox system comes standard with over 1,000,000 e – books and over 23,000 audio books, answers the yearnings of many computer users in Nigeria for a comprehensive information resource to aid both practical and theoretical on-line learning,” he said.

Additionally, Ekeh applauded WEL for the partnership, saying that it has become a source of affordable education with the potential to save costs of both formal and informal education.

“It would greatly reduce the effect of the lack of textbooks in the West African sub region and eliminate the issuance and purchase of too many handouts in our schools as the best books in the world are hosted online,” he said.

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2.3GHz : NCC, FMIC should work together – Okereke

A Lagos-based Information and Communications Technology (ICT) analyst, Ms Mary Okereke, has advocated a more cordial relationship between the telecommunications regulator in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the
Federal Ministry of Information and Communications (FMIC).

She made this call in Lagos, at the weekend, saying the forging of more cordial relationship between the two government entities would no doubt assist immensely in growing the economy and telecommunications industry in particular.

A statement made available to ITRealms Online, on the on-going 2.3 Gega Hertz stalemate, Ms Okereke pointed out that like any other human establishment, NCC may not be infallible.

She also urged NCC to be more transparent in its activities so as to forestall any atom of blunder in its processes of engagement with the sector.

Additionally, she said that as long as it is not questionable that NCC is independent, although some have argued that as an agency under the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications (FMoIC), NCC should report to the FMoIC.

Some, she said, have argued “Doesn’t commonsense presuppose that the NCC should report to the FMoIC,” but Okereke pointed out that in real terms, as stipulated in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), the NCC is really not responsible to anyone.

“It would however appear that the NCA allows the NCC to be self-reporting or accounting, but have a cordial working relationship with the HMIC,” she declared.
Okereke noted that there is need to redress a situation whereby NCC is seen as acting less transparently.

Perhaps the wisdom of NCA in doing so was to ensure the independence of the NCC.

While I subscribe to the need for an independent NCC as a National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for telecommunications as recommended by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), I also see the need for necessary checks and balances to ensure accountability in order to address the deficiencies of being self-accounting,” she suggested.

The independence of NCC, she said, has no doubt brought significant benefits to the country including professional disposition, expeditious decision making, innovation as opposed to older ideas to name a few.

She equally outlined the down side of this ‘independence’ wondering that where the entity errs, what corrective mechanism is in place?

Therefore, she said, it is essential to note that probably that was the points, the
Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili wanted to bring to the forefront in seeking a halt of the 2.3 Gega Hertz recently.

“In my opinion, the HMIC’s actions given her integrity and score card at NAFDAC is playing out itself. In her sojourn in the FMoIC, she has now drawn our attention to a gap in our national polity –that the NCC is not after all accountable to anyone,” she declared.

Ms Okereke reiterated that ongoing conflict between the Akunyili and Ndukwe’s NCC would leave Nigeria with something positive for the telecommunication industry and indeed Nigeria.

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Starcomms wins WhiteHat award

Starcomms Plc has won the White Hat award by Spamhaus for its efforts at fighting Internet crimes and zero tolerance on spam mails, reports HELEN OHANUSI.

The White Hat status of Starcomms is considered a giant stride in West Africa by industry watchers, given the fact that 419 and related internet scams have been social drawbacks in the perception of the international community which is the biggest telecommunications consumer market in the sub-region.

The award came at the heel of the company’s expansion of its iZAP, the much taunted super fast broadband data service to more cities in addition to the availability of its 1x Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) data service across the nation.

This, the telecom operator said, has gained it recognition, as the network of preference in internet provision in the country.

The Spamhaus project, an international non-profit organization, was founded in 1998 and is run by a dedicated 26 investigators and forensics specialists located in 10 countries, but its central bases of operations are in Geneva, Switzerland and London, UK.

The mission of the Spamhaus project, apart from tracking the internet’s spam operations, is to also provide dependable real time anti-spam protection for internet networks, to work with the law enforcement agencies.

In addition, Spamhaus focuses on identifying and pursuing spammers worldwide, while lobbying government for effective anti-spam legislation.

The achievement of the company is further heightened by the fact that Starcomms also an internet service provider in the country, therefore, goes a long way in changing the negative perception of Nigeria by international community for good.

Starcomms prides itself as industry in providing triple-play services with top on the list being its iZAP offer, while claiming the first to deployed Evolution Data Only (EVDO) services in Lagos and Port Harcourt, and Abuja.

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‘Ban mobile phones @ exam halls’

SOME of the nation’s stakeholders in education sector have canvassed for the ban of mobile phones usage in examination halls, in order to curb malpractice, report GLORIA ONIBODE & NNEKA AGBANUSI.

Those who spoke to ITRealms Online on the subject, at the weekend included some students in higher institutions and educationist.

Leading the pack, Head, French Linguistic at the Lagos State College of Education, Ijanikin, Dr. Olu Akeusola, said that the usage of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has boosted education, but warned of the negative effect.

With the rise in technology advancement, he said, students have taken examination malpractices at almost all levels of education to another height.

He noted that some students have used this platform of owning a mobile phone, for instance to perpetuate exam frauds.

“Some of them store answers on their phones and take this into examination halls” he decried, pointing out that some engage somebody who sends answers to them while still in the exam hall through Short Message Service (SMS).

On the way forward, he said, that students should not be allowed to bring their phones into the examination hall.

“No one should be allowed to leave the examination hall as soon as it commences, rather they should use the toilet or whatever they want to do before coming into the exam hall,” he advised.

Dr. Akeusola equally urged telecom operators to co-operate with educational institutions to ensure that a solution is proffered, stressing that any culprit caught should be made to serve punishment and even be taken to court to serve as deterrent to the others.

“The use of mobile phones in examination halls should be viewed as a serious crime,” Akeusola said.

For a 200 level student from Akwa-Ibom State Polytechnic, Ms Ndifreke Assam, “some female students actually hide their phones in under wears and when confronted by the invigilators claim they were only adjusting their sanitary towels to make it firm.”

She also said that securities should also be available at the venue of exams using detectors to search students to ensure they enter the hall without their phones.

Another student, a 300 level student, University of Ilorin, Ajibola Collins, said the problem of malpractice through phone could be attributed to students who find it as an easy way to scale the examination hurdles without stress.

As said by him, it has become so rampant as student do not want to rely on their brains any more as the improvement on technology (GSM) could solve the problem with SMS and most students who indulge in this activities are student who see it as the best possible means to pass at a sitting rather rot away at home due to inability to pass examinations.

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Etisalat rolls out in south-east, lifts 47 students

Etisalat Nigeria has rolled out its services at the South-Eastern part of the country, just as it awarded scholarships to 47 students.

The fifth Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operator, said at the weekend, it has launched commercial service in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Aba in Abia State, Onitsha and Nnewi in Anambra State as well as Enugu, Enugu State.

In Port Harcourt, Etisalat announced the award of 47 scholarships to the best students in Electrical Electronics Engineering, Computer Science and Management Sciences from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, University of Port Harcourt and the Anambra State University of Science respectively.

Disclosing this in Port Harcourt, Chairman, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Keem Belo-Osagie, who was represented by a member of the Board of Directors, Professor (Mrs) Isabella Okagbue, noted that the annual scholarships is worth N100,000 for each of the students and is a demonstration of Etisalat’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

“A large part of our mandate is the commitment to give back to the community in a sustainable and qualitative way. It is in light of this that early on in our operations here in Nigeria, we established our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) unit,” Belo-Osagie said.

He also said that as a pivotal part of Etisalat CSR, the initiative would be executed under the innovative umbrella of Etisalat Merit Award Scheme to 47 deserving students who have excelled in areas such as Computer Science, Electrical Electronics Engineering and Management Sciences.

He noted that Etisalat planned to award 300 scholarships to students in the institutions of higher learning with the highest CGPA across the country.

“Of 300 scholarships we plan to give out across the nation, we have now awarded 107 while there are another 193 that we will be awarding under our innovative Etisalat Merit Award,” he declated.

Other schools where students are currently enjoying Etisalat scholarship include Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria ; Kaduna State University, Kaduna; Bayero University, Kano ; University of Maiduguri ; Kebbi State University and Uthman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

The Chairman noted that beyond superior coverage Etisalat is set to offer the people of River State , the company is also committed to empowering the residents of the state with the provision of employment opportunities.

“Apart from giving out to the communities where we operate via our CSR initiative, we are also happy to say that our business also creates job opportunities for the good people of this state through our dealerships, sub-dealerships and other downstream retail activities. We are partners in progress with the good people of
Rivers and we look forward to keeping the relationship blossoming,” he said.

Subscribers connecting to the Etisalat network in the latest roll-out would also have the opportunity to participate in the ongoing 9jillion promotion.

“The unique 3-in-1 consumer promotion designed to reward all Etisalat customers offers both old and new subscribers an opportunity to win 2 phones every hour, 24 hours a day for 90 days, win cash prizes worth N125m over a period of five months and also gives one lucky subscriber the chance to go home with an amazing $1m as grand prize money,” he further said.

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NITTA-09 announces prize date

The foremost Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry prize , the Nigerian Information Technology and Telecom Awards (NITTA) ceremony has announced November 20, 2009 as its event’s date to honour stakeholders in Lagos.

The organizers said that the event billed to take place at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, would attract industry operators, professionals and stakeholders, even as NITTA has become one of the most cherished industry honour for stakeholders in the past seven years.

The event organized by IT & Telecom Digest, has been described as the de facto benchmark for measuring performance, rewarding excellence and upholding quality as well as fuelling growth in the ICT sector in Nigeria.

According to the Editor-in-Chief, IT & Telecom Digest, Mr. Mkpe Abang, this year’s event will be the ultimate consummation and consolidation of the gains recorded in the telecom and IT sector in the last eight years.

Mr. Abang also said that recognition would be given to companies and individuals responsible for the innovations, achievements and great new services that have helped to shape the ICT industry up until date, and are helping to build tomorrow’s industry.

Abang, further said, the awards are open to all communications providers, mobile operator, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) companies, telecom carriers, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators, experts, governments, allied professionals, and indeed institutions and content providers, to name a few.

The full list of categories for NITTA 2009, he said, would be announced soon, stressing that while the organisers recognize and value the numerous enquiries from industry stakeholders about awards, including the categories available, his firm needed to fine tune the entire process before making the final announcement on categories.

NITTA, therefore, has grown to shape the Nigerian ICT sector in the last seven years and with this eighth edition promised to build on the phenomenal growth of the past editions.

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IT, vital to resolving financial meltdown – Zaku

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Bako Zaku, has identified Information Technology (IT) as a key factor in solving the problem posed by the global economic meltdown.

Dr. Zaku who was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Telecom Exhibition 2009, over the weekend in Lagos, said for the nation to attain its potentials among the comity of nations, she must leverage on IT platform and must be given its prime place.

The Minister who was represented by the Director General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, (FIIRO), Dr. Oluwole Olatunji, said the nation is still young in terms of her inputs in the global telecom market, saying that there is a lot of gaps that needs to be filled for the nation to be counted among the super
powers in information technology.

“The issue of IT is of utmost importance because we realize that for us to move forward as a nation, IT is so vital, it is so pivotal. There is virtually nothing anyone can do in the world today without IT. We are stressing that as a nation, we need to leapfrog. We do not want to reinvent the wheel. Whatever has worked and is working, we shall adopt it,” he said.

He emphasized the need for more input into research and development as a way of developing the nation.

“It is a global phenomenon that research and development, develops a nation and we have seen the contributions of other nations towards research and development. We are not there yet, we need much more input into research and development, if we must meet the goal of vision 202020

Also speaking, the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, said the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is like a storm that cannot be stopped, adding that there are many more storms to be expected.

He called on the youths to develop the can-do spirit, saying that the top 20 developed economies of the world are those who have spent more on research and development.

Prof. Ibidapo-Obe further said good governance is about transparency and that for any nation to move forward the leadership must imbibe transparency as code of conduct.

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Mobileworld takes African telecom awards to UK

The organizers of the Mobile World Africa Telecom Awards (MWATA) has explained why the maiden edition of the award would be held in the United Kingdom (UK) in October this year.

Unveiling the Mobile World Africa Telecom Awards to the media in Lagos, the Group publisher of UK-based, Mobile World magazine, Mr. Akin Naphtal, noted that though the focus is on African market, but the investors are coming outside Africa.

According to him, the Mobile World organization which commenced operation in 2005, felt it is now time to decorate contributors of the growth being witnessed on the continent with awards.

“After operating for about four years we felt it is vital to organize these awards to encourage those operators in our land,” he said.

Akin also noted that most investors in Africa are foreigners, apart from this, “we want to create an opportunity for more investment and networking.”

He stressed that they seek to recognize all those who have assisted Africa thus far.

“It is an encouragement for stakeholders in order to sustain the development,” he declared, stressing that 90 per cent of investments in Africa come from beyond the continent.

Pointing out that the kind of fund required for telecommunications development cannot be accessed in Africa, and this is apparently based on business ideals.

The ceremony, he said, would give a boost to these foreigners who have fallen in love with Africa and who are looking for opportunities to see that opportunities brought nearer to their door steps.

The 19-category awards, he said, would be presented to the deserving industry players at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park London, on October 28, 2009.

He listed some of the categories to include the African Fixed Line Operator of the year, African ISP of the year, African Mobile Operator of the year, African Vendor of the year, North, West, East and Southern African Mobile Operator of the year respectively.

In addition, he said, there would be African Regulator of the year, African Phone of the year, Value Added Services company of the year, Best Mobile Money service, African mobile content provider, Africa Telecom brand, Financing bank, infrastructure company, rural development, socially responsible telecom operator and MobileWorld Lifetime Achievement award.

Further, he said that participants from Africa attending the event would receive discounts for hotel accommodation and airfare among other benefits, just as four notable industry professionals would play the role of panel of judges for the choice of candidates.

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NCC says telecom is key to achieving Vision 20-2020

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said telecommunications is key to achieving the Vision 20-2020 of the current administration in the country, reports CHARLES OKOH.

The commission made this pronouncement through its chief executive, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who spoke in Lagos at the weekend, restated the pivotal role of telecommunications in the government’s quest to positioning Nigeria among the top 20 economies of the world by 2020.

Speaking at the just concluded Nigerian Telecom Development Lecture (NITDEL) 2009 in Lagos, Ndukwe said that countries that lack sufficient access to modern telecommunications networks find it difficult to be effectively integrated into the global economy.

In his paper to the occasion entitled “Telecom in the service of the modern society” Ndukwe said the commission is currently working on some programmes that will make the use of ICT applications commonplace in government, schools and businesses.

“As we strive to measure up with the rest of the world, it is important for Nigeria to keep pace with technological trends in this fast moving industry. One obvious trend is that the technological borders between telecommunications, IT and broadcasting is blurring at a quickening pace. Another fact is the trend towards the realization of a ubiquitous network society where people can access and exchange information freely, at any time, from anywhere, and from any appliance in converged ICT environment,” he said.

Ndukwe, who identified broadband as the future of connectivity, said two major technologies, digital mobile phones and the Internet are driving a new level of connectivity that were hitherto unknown and are enabling various transactions to be carried out over high capacity modern networks.

“The content flowing over such modern networks includes not only e-mails and telephone calls, but also music, movies and television, demanding huge amounts of bandwidth. Broadband enables us to use one universal network to support any and all media,” the NCC boss said.

He said without ICT a nation or person cannot reach her full potential, stressing that access to broadband is a key to keeping small businesses competitive in today’s world.

“Two new reports, by the World Bank (Information and Communication for development report, 2006) and World Economic Forum (Global Information Technology report, 2005-2006), underline the fact that economic development depends on overall progress in a country’s ICT sector, and that, without such progress, both economies and companies suffer. Thus the World Banks study finds that firms that use ICT grow faster, and are more productive and profitable than those that do not. Access to broadband has also been identified as key to keeping small businesses competitive in any modern economy,” he said.

Ndukwe said telecommunications is an essential infrastructure of the information economy stating that nation has over the past eight years been providing the right environment to attract serious investors and encourage market forces to thrive, all aimed at attracting new sources of capital, accelerating network expansion, improving pricing, enhancing quality of service and introducing new technology.

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naijalisting.com debuts

Daley Bright Technologies Limited (DBT), has introduced its equivalent of ebay, www.naijalisting.com in the country to assist Nigerians to transact online businesses confidently.

Mr. Emeka Enemuwe of Daley Bright Technologies Ltd, said that the platform was set up to take advantage of the immense opportunities in the growing Nigerian economy, particularly with regards to the exponential online presence of Nigerian companies and organizations.

DBT business suites, he said, in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online, would encompass website hosting, online marketing, real estate and consulting services.

“We will provide small, medium and enterprise-scale hosting solutions, online marketing and consulting solutions that enable large firms and SMEs in banking, manufacturing, telecommunications, energy, Oil/Gas etc. to fully utilize information and communications technology to effectively and efficiently position, market and manage their businesses,” he said.

Similarly, he said, there are some benefits accruable to governments, government agencies and non-profit organizations, who engage naijalisting.com. “Our business strategy is to provide hosting solutions for all cadre of clientele in Nigeria, as the Internet does not recognize any national or traditional barriers. Virtually everyone needs to have some sort of presence on the Internet, be it for business, social, political and personal reasons,” he said.

He stressed that the presence could be an ordinary email address, ordinary website, full e-commerce website, multimedia/interactive website, online marketing and advertisement, among others.

“Our keys to success will undoubtedly be effective market segmentation through identification of several niche markets and implementation strategies,” he said.

Disclosing that along this line, his firm intends to implement aggressive traditional marketing strategies to gain access to individuals, companies, governments and other organizations who which to have websites and other web means of making their presence felt.

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Crescent, Caleb universities fine-tune deal with New Horizons

Crescent and Caleb Universities have fine-tuned their partnership with New Horizons as they embraced international Information Technology (IT) certifications being offered through New Horizons.

According to the chief executive of New Horizons, Mr. Tim Akano, the partnership was based on the determination of the management of both Caleb and Crescent Universities respectively.

This, he said, would ensure that their graduates become the toast of employers hence they took more pragmatic action on the separate partnership agreements earlier signed with New Horizons.

He pointed out that New Horizons, usually select its partners carefully for the international certification-based courses leading to skills-set in networking, database, security, hardware, software programming and development, as well as e-Business.

Speaking at the end of a recent meeting with Crescent University, he said, they fine-tuned the strategies to adopt for taking the International IT training partnership to the next level during the next academic session.

As said by him, the first set of undergraduates under the programme in the University would be concluding training for the various international professional certification examinations before the end of August 2009.

The registrar, Crescent University, Prince Ademola Z. Ajibola, noted the institution was established with the primary motive of promoting high level blend of Islamic morals and academic excellence in a world class IT driven university system.

Since the commencement of the programme, which is now compulsory for all the students, Ajibola said the products from Crescent University would continue to stand out as complete graduates having combined international professional IT skills with academic brilliance, hence crowning it all with the internalization of the virtues of Islam.

In the same vein, Caleb University management, said its partnership with New Horizons was embarked on by the university to further strengthen the entrepreneurship empowerment programme and ensure that all its students are highly compliant in ICT.

Consequently, all students of the University, irrespective of their academic discipline will have the opportunity of obtaining international certification-based training in two IT technologies per year beginning from 2009/2010 academic session.

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GTBank begins issuance of EMV Master cards

The GTBank Plc has commenced the issuance of MasterCard’s EMV compliant payment cards on the Interswitch transaction switching platform.

ITRealms Online recalled that Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), recently directed banks in the country to migrate payment systems from magnetic stripe to chip and PIN.
Equally in September 2008, Interswitch was licensed as the MasterCard Third Party Processor (TTP) and has since achieved full MasterCard, EMV certification of its network for issuing and acquiring local and international transactions.

With this development, Interswitch now processes two EMV card initiatives, namely, Verve Card and MasterCard.

The Assistant General Manager, e-Business at GTBank, Mrs. Ronke Kuye said that the EMV cards introduced by bank includes four MasterCard variants; MasterCard Naira Debit, Dollar Debit, Credit and Prepaid Card. Stressing that GT Bank is the first bank to issue dual currency EMV card with four variants on the MasterCard platform in the country.

“We chose Interswitch as our Third Party Processor because of the excellent work the company has been doing, the professionalism of the team and the expertise that they have shown since inception. With InterSwitch, we are guaranteed that we will be successful both with the technology and the business,” he said.

Interswitch’s Chief Technology and Operations Officer, Mr. Akeem Lawal explained that his company’s relationship with MasterCard and GTB is a strategic one that allows Interswitch to continue to remain at the forefront of payment systems technology and innovation.

“With the Verve and MasterCard processing and the Enterprise Monitoring Solution, we are now able to offer our partner banks more choice in the issuance of payment cards and products across global and local markets, and also provide them with the best monitoring solution to protect cardholders locally and internationally,” he said.

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PIN emerges finalist @ Ashoka Changemakers online contest

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-based non-governmental organization, the Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) has emerged finalist in this year’s Champions of Quality Education in Africa competition with its project, Ajegunle.org.

Outreach Marketing Coordinator for the Ashoka’s Changemakers, the organizers, Yuting Beverly Lien, said that PIN’s project emerged finalist amidst over 400 entries from 30 countries globally.

The organization in a letter addressed to the Executive Director, PIN, Mr. Gbenga Sesan, last week, the United States-based Ashoka’s Changermakers expressed delight on the innovative project of PIN.

“By selecting your entry as a competition finalist, the judges have honored you and your colleagues for the outstanding demonstration of innovation, social impact, and sustainability. Congratulations!” part of the letter which was made available to ITRealms Online read.

Lien went on to advise PIN to maximize the chances to win by making relevant efforts in the coming week, urging tens of thousands online participants to vote for three winners.

“We have prepared a suite of support materials especially for you, with tips and ideas to mobilize your network,” Lien said.

Emphasizing that this is an opportunity to call global attention to PIN’s work, saying,”You can do this by inviting your (online) community to vote and encourage them to comment on your innovation. Finalists who reach out to their networks to encourage participation raise awareness of their work and improve their opportunity to be recognized as Changemakers winner by investors, thought leaders, and enthusiasts.”

The organizers explained that online voting to select the three competition winners begun on August 5, 2009 and closes on 19 August 2009.

“The three finalists to receive the most votes will be declared winners on August 26, 2009, and each will receive a prize of US $5000,” part of the letter read.

In addition, it was stated that finalists are also offered an exciting opportunity with GlobalGiving, an online marketplace that has raised over $16 million for over 1,000 projects in more than 60 countries.

“GlobalGiving can help you harness the internet to connect with donors and efficiently raise funds online,” the letter further read.

Congratulating PIN for their outstanding work, the organisers look forward to profiling PIN’s entry initiative and working with them to build exciting momentum around the innovation.

Responding on the selection, so far, PIN Executive Director, Mr. Sesan said that he received the good news from one of the competitions they entered and enjoined Nigerians among other ICT enthusiasts to ensure they vote for the project, Ajegunle.org.

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Multi-Links rejects firm over special promo

The management of the pioneer Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited, trading under ‘Multi-Links Telkom’ has rejected a firm over special promo and unauthorized marketing purposes.

A press statement from the telco endorsed by the Chief Corporate Affairs officer, Mrs. Ijeoma Abazie, said that the attention of the management of Multi-Links has been brought to a promo being propagated by an entity identified as Isvin Ventures Nigeria Limited, a communications, developer and real estate, which has been parading itself as a partner and using the marketing name of the brand for unauthorized marketing purposes.

“We have received telephone calls and personal contacts from members of the public who have had contact with the agents of Isvin Venture Nigeria Limited on the premise of offer of sale of landed property for a free Multi-Links telephone line,” she said.
According to her, the Isvin Venture Nigeria Limited and its agents have gone further to produce invoices and fliers with the Multi-Links Telkom logo in order to give the impression that whatever it was doing had the endorsement of the operator.

In addition, she said, this was to further convince the members of the public that its offerings were genuine.

“We wish to state that Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited is licensed as a telecommunications services provider and has been involved only with the activities within the limits of its operating license,” she said.

Also Multi-Links said it has no relationship whatsoever with the company Isvin Venture Nigeria Limited and its agent.

“We wish to warn members of the public to be wary of this promotional offer which is not in any way endorsed by Multi-Links Telkom,” she said.

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Ebonyi partners UNIDO, trains 200

The Ebonyi State Government has announ-ced that its recent partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has yielded some fruits with the training of 200 employees under the GET-IT scheme, reports ERASMUS ANAMENE.

Secretary to the state government, Chief Fidelis Mbam made this disclosure, weekend, during the launch of the programme in Abakaliki.

According to him, the government assured that internet and other infrastructure would be put in all Ministries in the State to ensure application of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to every day assignment.

At the event witnessed by UNIDO IT expert, Mr. Francis Ukoh and UNIDO Consultant for the ECT-GET-IT Project from Vienna Mr. Jumar Balonkita, Chief Mbam, reassured participants of government commitment to equip them properly.

Equally, participants for the five-week training included secretaries drawn from offices of Commissioners and other executive officers of the State Government.

The master trainers from Ebonyi State who have just returned from Kenya comprised a team of Hewlett Packard (HP) GET-IT trainers. were at the session aimed at building capacity of participants in practical IT solution for daily business challenges such as finance, management, marketing and technology.

Their capacity will be built on GET-IT to improve their skill especially on contact management and meeting schedules, just as attention would be paid to the use of computer and internet for communication to improve output.

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IALS boss applauds NCC

The Director General of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS), Abuja, Professor Eapiphany Azinge, SAN, has applauded the apex telecommunications body in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Prof. Azinge said that the commendation has become necessary due to the giant strides made in telecom sector by NCC, which has propelled Nigeria to the frontline of global telecom sphere.

Azinge who was at NCC to seek collaboration with the Commission on the institute’s Centre for Media and Communications, said the leadership of NCC has made landmark achievements in the sector to the benefit of other sectors outside of the telecom industry.

NCC, he said, is the first none legal establishment visited by the Institute and the Commission’s collaboration with the institute would further equip it to realize the objectives and benefits of the centre.

Also, he requested the Commission to allow students of the institute to embark on annual internship programmes to enable them to advance practical knowledge in telecommunications law.

Just as Azinge requested the Commission to endow a professorial chair on telecommunications law at the institute.

In his remark, chief executive of NCC, Dr. Ndukwe expressed interest on the requests of the institute, saying that the Commission prides itself with some of the best telecom lawyers in the country as it has through the telecom regulatory processes, confronted various legal issues in telecom matters.

He said this situation has made lawyers in the Commission to have hands-on experience in an area which is very new in the country.

As said by him, most of the people in Nigeria are first time users of telephones since 2001 which hitherto was restricted to a very few before compared with today’s over 67 million connected lines, with associated marketing and legal issues that are provoked with the expansion of telecommunications services.

Ndukwe also said that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become important as an application in various professions, including the legal profession for the purpose of achieving efficiency.

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Foborede to preside @ OAU alumni forum

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) expert and Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Prof. Michael Faborede, is to preside at the prize giving ceremony being organised by the Lagos Alumni Association in collaboration with eWorld, a publication of Ajomedia Limited.

ITRealms Online gathered that over 10 alumni of the university who have distinguished themselves in their chosen career would be honoured at the event for remarkable performances in ICT sector and contribution to national growth.

The award ceremony which comes up on August 26, this year, at Eko Hotels and Suites, would see some of the notables in the industry and alumni of the university to stand for honour.

ITRealms Online gathered that the event would be an assemblage of who’s who in the group as some top notchers in the industry have confirmed participation, including the chief executive of New Horizon, Mr. Tim Akano, Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.

Equally on the roll call for the event is the Director General, National Information Technology Agency (NITDA), Professor Cleopas Angaye, chief executive officer, Omatek Computers, Mrs Florence Seriki, her counterparts at MainOne Technologies, Bi- TraxAxxent, Ms Funke Opeke, Mrs. Bunmi Afolabi, respectively.

In addition the chief executive of Chams Plc, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, his colleagues in the Internet Service Provision (ISP) and chief executive of Linkserve Limited, Chief Chima Onyekwere, as well as the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), MTN Nigeria, Mr. Karl Toriola.

Also, there would be the Nigeria’s first ICT youth ambassador, Mr. Gbenga Sesan, and the Commandant of the Army Signal Corp, Major-General Umo, whose role in ECOMOG was exemplary, earning him a national award to mention a few, in attendance.

While the first DG of NITDA, late Professor Gabriel Ajayi and immediate past President of ATCON, late Alaba Charles Joseph are anticipated to be honoured at the occasion.

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