NCC, ATCON disagree on Broadband penetration target

ITRealms:

Apex telecom regulator in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and umbrella industry organisation, the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) have disagreed over the achievable broadband penetration by December 2018, reports ITRealms.

According to the National Broadband Plan (NBP) designed to accelerate broadband from six per cent in 2012 to 30 per cent by 2018 is causing some ripple between the two entities.

Whereas NCC a is projecting attainable broadband penetration at 30 per cent, ATCON said its not attainable by the estimated deadline.

At the time of filing this report, ITRealms gathered that both NCC and ATCON agreed that at least between 2012 and December 2014 that Nigeria was able to garner 10 per cent broadband penetration.

For NCC, they are ready and are working towards this projection of attaining the remaining 20 per cent before end of December 2018, but ATCON argued that the road map has some hiccups thereby making the projection unrealistic.

NCC a had in a recent forum in Lagos, through its Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Eugene Juwah, disclosed the intention and resolve of the commission to meet up with the remaining 20 per cent as set in the National Broadband Plan for a 30 per cent inroad to be made in 2018, stressing to ITRealms that as matter of fact had begun the journey to actualize this.

But reacting to this projection, ATCON president,  Mr. Lanre Ajayi, expressed doubt as to the readiness of the telecoms industry to achieve the remaining 20 per cent broadband penetration within the targeted three years.

Ajayi ITRealms gathered made this known while receiving an award by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Lagos pointed that the industry is backward in broadband.

“Currently, we are not doing well in the area of broadband as we have done in the voice segment. In the voice segment, we keep meeting and surpassing forecasts.So, at the rate at which we are going in the area of broadband growth, I am afraid we may not be able to meet the 30 per cent penetration by 2018,” he said.

The ATCON president who is also a member of Broadband Council urged the government of president Muhammadu Buhari to accelerate the implementation of the broadband plan, while noting that aside challenges around land-mile broadband deployment, telecoms operators’ access to adequate spectrum bands is key to ensuring faster broadband network deployment, adding that the NCC should be transparent in its spectrum licensing activities.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

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Pix:Juwah and Ajayi

Ministerial appointment: Buhari may confront Character Commission

ITRealms:

Following the reports making rounds that Alhaji Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised President Muhammadu Buhari, to cut the size of Ministries to 19 from 28, may led to confrontation with the Federal Character Commission (FCC), reports ITRealms.

Hitherto, ITRealms recalls that with the current 28 federal ministries, every state is represented thereby paving the way for the creation of Ministers and Ministers of State across all the Ministries.

A former chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and reputed as super-permanent secretary, Alhaji Joda currently serve as the chairman of the Buhari Transition Committee, had proposed to Mr. President for a cut in Ministries which is likely to translate to reduction in the Ministerial appointment and portfolio to be created.

Meanwhile the Federal Character Commission (FCC) was established in 1996, to “enforce the Federal character principles which aimed at ensuring fair and equitable distribution of posts; social-economic amenities; and infrastructural facilities among the federating units of the nation.”

In other words, FCC serves as watchdog for federal government institutions, including Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), at least in ensuring an evenly distributed workforce that reflects ethnic diversity and the geopolitical divides of the country among others.

ITRealms recollects that the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee of APC, has asked Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, probably to keep the number of federal ministries at manageable seize of19 so as to have 19 senior ministers and 17 junior or Ministers of State which is expected to bring the total of Ministers to 36.

But some political analysts who commented on this on anonymity wondered which of the states that will allow their federal representation to serve as junior minister, since the key role resides with the senior ministers.

Hence, analysts were also alarmed that Joda’s committee in its report submitted on June 11, especially advice on Ministries may boomerang for President Buhari, which may create instability among the ruling APC party stalwarts. 

Stressing that President Buhari had been expected to hit the ground running since May 29, 2015, but uptil the time of filing this report could not submit Ministerial nominees to the National Assembly, who equally is trying to find its feet by reconciling with the ruling party on the kind of leadership structure to enthrone, even after the Senators and Federal Legislators had shunned party interference.

ITRealms gathered that in the former governments since 1999, appointed of 42 ministers were based on each of the six geo-political zones, in addition to one from each of the 36 states of the federation.

Joda-led Presidential Transition Committee

 +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)

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Monitisation policy: Wike, I've right to my vehicles - Ibim Semenitari

Gender ICT@ITRealms:

Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, former Info Commissioner, Rivers State

On Thursday June 18, 2015, over 10 policemen armed with machine guns and in two trucks –
One Ford Transit and One Hilux arrived my residence, No 12 A Ernest Ikoli Street, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt. Without either a search warrant, letter or precious information, they forced their way into my premises.

My security guard on duty requested to know their mission and who sent them. They refused to disclose either, but went round taking photographs and videoing my premises. The security guard got in touch with my assistant who spoke with the men, explaining to them that I was out of town and again requested to know their mission and purpose. Again they declined insisting on seeing me first. She then got in touch with me by phone as we were uncertain as to the identity of the policemen in question.

Upon further investigation and after about 3 hours of them laying siege on my premise, I was told that they were from Rivers State Government House and had been sent to recover vehicles in my possession. They attempted to break into a Range Rover Jeep belonging to my Husband and bought long before I was made Commissioner in Rivers State Government, damaging the front door. The vehicle in question contrary to the lies being paraded is not an armoured vehicle and has never at any point belonged to the Rivers State Government nor its agents including myself as Commissioner of Information.

By the time I finally made contact with them and expressed my displeasure, they insisted that they would take away a Lexus jeep duly allocated to me as Commissioner of Information and which by law I am entitled to leave with upon leaving office.

The monetisation policy of the government allows public officers to leave government with their official vehicles as this is in lieu of vehicle, allowance, transport and other allowances, which they cannot draw because of the monetization policy of 2002. Mr. Nyesom Wike served as Chief of Staff, and upon departure left with all the vehicles he used as Chief of Staff. This has been the practice since this democratic dispensation when President Olusegun Obassanjo instituted the monetisation policy.

Having served as Commissioner for two tenures, I am entitled to my status cars and have proof of allocation. While I understand that Mr. Wike feels a dire need to destroy the reputation of Governor Amaechi and all those worked with him, it is unacceptable that he will engage in brigandage, thuggery and underhand tactics to do so. A simple letter from any government official requesting me to make a submission or tender documentation would have been the appropriate way to go and I would have willingly tendered all the relevant documents to them.

Breaking into my home, invading my privacy, damaging my property and removing property from my premises is inappropriate and illegal.

I have chosen however to put out these details in the public space as it is apparent that for some persons only a destruction of my hard earned reputation would do and this I would not accept. My records in the Ministry of Information are crystal clear I hope that Mr. Nyesom Wike is able to say same about his tenure in every office he has held.

Forcing their home into my home unlawfully isn’t the appropriate way for any government that claims legitimacy to behave.

•Being text of a statement by Mrs. Semenitari, former Commissioner for Information, Rivers State. Courtesy: NewsExpress.com
 

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NDSF 2015: PIN, DSA present prizes to three students

ITRealms

The Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) and DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Friday in Lagos jointly presented three Etisalat Cliqlite e-learning tablets to three students, reports ITRealms.

The presentation was in fulfillment of the promise made by the Executive Director, PIN and Nigeria’s first IT Youth Ambassador, Mr. Gbenga Sesan at the Nigeria DigitalSENSE 2015 Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) and Internet Protocol Version Six (IPV6) Roundtable in Lagos, recently.

Presenting the award at a brief ceremony that took place at Mafoluku-Lagos, ITRealms reports, the Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke said the essence of the DigitalSENSE Forum has been to empower, enlighten and build the capacity of Nigerian youths and women by way of exposing them to the opportunities available on the internet. 

She stated that the essence of this presentation ceremony is to give these tablets out in the presence of the parents and the teachers of the students and also to show that the companies; PIN and DigitalSENSE are for real and that they deliver on their promises. 

Mrs. Nweke also said that the Etisalat Cliqlite is designed to restrict the students to what they need on the internet for now which is basically academics, fortunately this year these children won the tablets. 

She emphasized that the tablet is for empowerment and to enable the children move to another level in life, stressing that Etisalat CIiqlite is a unique tablet to grow the students skills which must be regulated by the parents.

ITRealms reports the three lucky students include Sotayo-Aro Oluwakimilokan, Igweonu Chiamaka Sandra: the two are from Muritala Mohammed Airport Secondary School, Ikeja and Koleola Anuoluwapo from Mafoluku Senior Grammar School. 

PIN Executive Director, Mr. Sesan represented by Adebanbo Gbenga, while presenting one of the awards noted that PIN is reputed for youth empowerment and it was an honour to also collaborate with DigitalSENSE.

Hon. Obafemi Lekan, uncle to Koleola, in an interview with ITRealms expressed happiness that DSA and PIN were able to fulfill their promise. Other witnesses at the prize giving ceremony, ITRealms gathered included Mr. Agba Kingsley, the ICT teacher with Murtala Muhammed Airport Secondary School, Mr. Osuntubo, a teacher from Mafoluku Senior Grammar School. 

They poured encomium on PIN and DSA for delivering on their promise bearing in mind that many companies make promises these days which they scarcely fulfill.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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Pix L-R: Student Chiamaka Sandra and Sotayo-Aro Oluwakimilokan, Igweonu both of Muritala Mohammed Airport Secondary School, Ikeja and Koleola Anuoluwapo(middle) from Mafoluku Senior Grammar School flanked by PIN representative, Mr. Gbenga and Executive Director, Operations at DSA, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke during the presentation of prizes.