USPF, NITDF to incentivise universal access

The two development funding organizations within the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology is currently being restructured to deploy incentivize the universal access for Nigerians.

These organs are the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and the Nigeria Information Technology Development Fund (NITDF).

According to the Federal Minister in-charge of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, the two funding arm of her ministry, USPF and NITDF would pave the way for a motivated stakeholder players by offering an incentive to boost universal access when the available funds within their reach is deployed to incentivize the sector at the end of the present restructuring going on in the new ministry.

Presenting a roadmap for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Development (ICT4D) in the country at the 17th presidential investiture of Sir Demola Aladekomo-led presidency at the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) in Lagos, recently, Mrs. Johnson noted that President Goodluck Jonathan responded to calls from concerned stakeholders for a Ministry of ICTs and created the new Ministry to utilize ICTs as a tool for national development.

She explained that the Ministry has five agencies under its supervision, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Galaxy Backbone plc, and Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSAT) as well as two development funds organizations, which are USPF and NITDF.

Mrs. Johnson pointed out that the Universal Service Provision Fund and Nigeria IT Development Fund and the creation of the Ministry led to a revelation of overlaps and duplication in the roles of some of these agencies of government.

She reassured that the ongoing restructuring and refocusing of agencies under the Ministry will lead to clarity in terms of roles, responsibilities and accountability.

As said by her, in a bid to make the agencies under the Ministry more effective and to mitigate unnecessary duplications, they have been streamlined and realigned to their functions.

“The Nigerian Communications Commission NCC now regulates the ICT industry; NITDA provides IT support and development; NIPOST provides postal service delivery and access infrastructure while Galaxy Backbone is the vehicle for ICT infrastructure provision for federal government and its agencies and NigComSat is responsible for commercializing satellite bandwidth,” she said, even as the National Frequency Management Council NFMC facilitates prudent and co-ordinated allocation of frequency resources.

Additionally, she said that the Communications Technology ministry has concluded plans to put the harmonized national policy on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on its website for public consultation, saying that Nigeria is underserved as far as broadband is concerned.

She also said that the document as harmonized would be on the ministry’s web from January 9, 2011.

“We have concluded the harmonisation of the national ICT policy and we will put the policy on our website on the 9th of January at www.commtech.gov.ng for public consultation and input,” she said.

Mrs. Johnson, therefore, encouraged stakeholders to go to the website on that d-day, look at the policy and ensures it’s in line with what customers envisaged even as he hope they would use the cost of industry going forward and make comments.

The ICT policy, mini, she said, would be the overarching guide of what is to be do in the industry.

“I really believe that with the new policy we will be well on the way to making  the ICT industry what it should be in a country as large and as diverse and as important as Nigeria,” she said.

As said by her, there are many challenges that are ahead of the Ministry and knew that the one that most people are most conversant with both within and without the ICT industry is the cost of quality of service of telecoms business.

She decried the state of poor quality of service, saying “I will say it is bad, we all know that it is bad and the operators know that it is bad.”

Her ministry, Johnson said is working with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that this issue is no longer a problem.

She maintained that there are many issues the operators were facing and that the number of base stations and infrastructure that are available; but her ministry is working hard to ensure that QoS is an issue of the past.

The NCC, she observed, has published quality of service indicators and they are enforcing same vigorously and holding the operators responsible for QoS indicators.

“I have met with a number of those operators and I can assure you that they are doing all that they can and we will continue to put them under pressure to ensure that they give out the quality of service that we deserve for the kind of prices that we pay.

The second priority, Johnson pointed out that the penetration of broadband in the country is dismal, insisting that Broadband is really about getting fast internet all over Nigeria in both urban, semi urban and rural areas.

“We have decided within the Ministry that this country is really underserved when it comes to broadband,” she declared, stressing that there is no body that is properly served in this country as far as internet is concerned.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Adimoras top chat @ MTN Y’ello Family TV Game Show

The Adimora family from Anambra State has topped the chart by emerging winner of the maiden of the MTN Y’ello Family Television game show edition with 300 points.

The General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Kola Oyeyemi confirmed this, saying that  MTN is living up to its promise in the promotion of family ties and relationships through this TV game show called MTN Y’ello Family Game Show, which is now in the second season.

He explained that the TV show draws families from across the country to participate in various games in a bid to drive the family spirit towards finding love, friendship and building strong bonds has already started making impact in the lives of many Nigerian families as over 25 families benefited from the game since the new season started.

A press statement from MTN Nigeria available to ITRealms Online indicated that the Adimora family emerged winner of the maiden edition with 300 points by beating the Abangs from Cross River State, with a difference of 40 points.

The two families went away with prizes ranging from 42 inches LCD TV, Home Theater Systems, 1.5 Horse Power Split Unit Air Conditioner, 2.7KVA Power Generator among other valuable gifts.

Oyeyemi further said that the TV game show was part of the MTN’s effort in enriching Nigerian families.

“MTN Y’ello Family Game Show celebrates the true essence of the family and its role in the society. 

It tends to enhance the society by establishing proper standards of family life” Oyeyemi explained.

Head of the Adimora family, Mr. Chukwuma Adimora, said that the show was fun and exciting as well as availing them the ability to help build team spirit and bonding among participating the families.

“My family has never had such an exciting opportunity to play together in a long time. The TV game show has helped us learn a lot about our strengths and weaknesses and most importantly, it teaches us that we can achieve more if we stick together,” he explained.

The programme airs on the NTA Network Service on Sundays at 8pm and on STV on Tuesdays at 8pm.

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Airtel felicitates with subscribers, urges SIM registration

Telecommunications Operator, Airtel Nigeria, has enjoined subscribers to take the opportunity of this festive season to register their Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card.

Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Airtel Nigeria, Deepak Srivastava, counseled Nigerians to heed necessary safety and security pre-cautions during the festive season, advising telecoms users to activate their voicemail service and guide against phoning while driving.

The festive season, he said, provides excellent opportunities for merry-making just as he noted that the occasion will also afford Nigerians an opportunity to reflect and rededicate themselves to rebuilding the nation’s economy.

Also, he advised existing customers and potential new customers of Airtel who are yet to register their SIM card to take advantage of the holiday to do so, adding that this will afford them the opportunity to enjoy many of the innovative and affordable packages and services including Airtel Steady-Steady and Club 10 among others that the company has introduced.

He insisted that Airtel SIM registration remains free and that customers should in no way make payment for the service, stressing that the company is prepared to take a serious action against any agent that demand for money before registering customers.

Therefore, he urged Nigerians to be vigilant and to report any attempt by any agent to abuse the process through any of its offices, or by email, or phone call, providing such vital details as the name of the agent, location such as the spot, town/city, and state, date and time of the day.

In line with the directive of the telecom industry umpire director, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), every phone in Nigeria is expected to be register before the line owner can enjoy complete telecommunication service

Srivastava then wished Nigerians happy celebrations and a prosperous 2012, saying that Nigerians should use the festive occasions ahead to spread love, extend goodwill and show appreciation to everyone, especially those in need.

“I am extremely excited that most Nigerians are in a celebratory mood. I wish every Nigerian the very best as we all mark the yuletide season. May we all find peace, happiness and blessings in 2012. And one way we can remain happy is if we heed safety warnings and security advice,” Srivastava said.

The Airtel Chief Executive also assured telecoms consumers that Airtel will continue to empower them with relevant solutions and the right network to enable them have a fun-filled celebration.

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Seven winners cart home N10.5m @ 9ja Free Credit promo

Etisalat Nigeria has rewarded seven more lucky winners in its ongoing 9ja Free Credit Promo with the sum of N1.5 million each.

The latest winners who emerged from Kano, Maiduguri, Lagos, Ilorin, Benin, Warri and Port Harcourt were recently presented with their cheques at ceremonies held at Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt. 

These comprised of Umar Ibrahim from Kano, Hauwa Adamu (Maiduguri), Malik Adesina Tajudeen (Lagos), Oluwatosin Oyebode (Ilorin), Paul Osayamore (Benin), Bamidele Solomon (Warri) and Blessing Nnenna Chinwo (Port Harcourt).

These, Daily Champion gathered brought to 14 the number of customers who have been rewarded since the commencement of the promo on December 1, 2011. 

Reacting after receiving his cheque at the Etisalat Nigeria Experience Centre in Kano, Umar Ibrahim, a 21-year old trader, said the day was his happiest.

He thanked Etisalat for the reward, which he said took him by surprise as he was not aware that there was a promo going on.

On her part, Hauwa Adamu, a Mass Communication student of the University of Maiduguri expressed joy at receiving the N1.5million prize money.

Hauwa also said she was surprised when she received the first call informing her that she had won such a huge amount of money.

“Honestly, I did not believe it when I received the first call telling me that I have won N1, 500,000. 

My family members did not believe it either, and warned me that this could be fraudsters at work. But the calls kept coming, each time congratulating me,” she said.

According to her, the ‘huge sum’ involved played a part in her skepticism. “It is not every day that people receive such calls telling them that they have won such a huge amount of money; especially not where I come from,” she said.

However, she said, the persistence of the Etisalat Nigeria staff made her give it a second thought.

“These people never gave up. It was amazing, and I thank them. Their persistence really helped in convincing me and my family, and to be honest, we still did not believe it until I got my cheque. Now I will go back home to Maiduguri to spread the news that the 9ja Free Credit Promo is real,” Adamu asserted.

ITRealms Online recalled that Etisalat had in November introduced the extension of the 9ja Free Credit Promo till end of December 2011.

The December promo in addition to the 30 per cent bonus airtime for recharges made within 30 days is designed to reward new and existing subscribers registered on the network with a daily cash prize of N1,500,000.

The promo will run throughout December 2011, with daily draws carried out and prize presentations to winners done weekly in five different locations across the country, namely Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Port-Harcourt and Kano.

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IGOs divide internet community on DNS

Experts in the global internet community may have differed on giving special privileges to international treaty rights in the Domain Name System (DNS).

Some of the experts who commented on this subject, said there are various ways and argument there are similar, for the Red Cross and Islamic Organisation Congress (IOC) to name a few.

One of those experts from the global internet community who commented on this subject of special privileges for international treaty rights on DNS included David Cake, Konstantinos Komaitis, Adam Peake among others.

For Dr. Konstantinos Komaitis, Senior Lecturer, Director of Postgraduate Instructional Courses and Director of LLM Information Technology and Telecommunications Law at University of Strathclyde, lamented that there is a very bad precedent set by ICANN, the global internet coordinating body with the fact that ICANN was willing to entertain the demands (partial) of IOC and the Red Cross would inevitably create problems and it has.

International Non-Government Organisations (IGOs), he beliefs should have the same rights as these two organizations, and they sort of have a point if one puts all of them within the same basket of treaty organizations.

He noted that but considering the fact that the issue here is much bigger there should be clear that ICANN is neither a legislator nor an enforcer of trademark rights.

“What these organizations are asking ICANN is to interpret trademark law treaties, thus its just huge and problematic,” he said.

Avri in her submission, stated that the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), should absolutely not throw this issue in with Red Cross and IOC issues like International Maritime Organisation (IMO), which should come out fairly strongly against this idea that the Reserved Name should be expanded on a general public interest idea.

For Dave Cake the position could be argued that treaties or legislation granting special rights to the IOC and RC have strong arguments against them, hence they have nevertheless been ratified or passed and it is not ICANNs position to reopen the issue but simply to acknowledge decisions already made.

According to him, while the other rights being asked for are not currently reflected in legislation or treaty, and it is within ICANNs purview to review and reject if appropriate requests to grant new rights.

“I’m not saying I personally take this position. I personally think the IOC request is an ambit claim and the case in favour is insufficient. But I think that someone who takes the IOC and RC treaty justification seriously could quite consistently accept the IOC and RC positions, while rejecting the other IGOs seeking to protect their acronyms,” he said, stressing that the RC case for special treatment is considerably stronger than the IOCs, and the IOCs case far stronger than the other IGOs.

He insisted that three different cases should be argued on their respective merits.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D