Broadband Commission petitions UN Eminent Persons on MDGs

*Today begins 1000-day mark to 2015

 

The United Nations (UN) Broadband Commission for Digital Development has petitioned the Eminent Persons through of the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, on the due date for delivery of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

A copy of the letter made available to ITRealms and sent to the Panel of Eminent Persons, the high-level body of leaders from the public and private sectors, tasked with brainstorming ideas for a Post-2015 development agenda, the Commission called on members to recognize the promise of broadband.

“We call on the members of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel to recognize the power and promise of broadband applications and services to expand people’s horizons and opportunities, enhance their freedom of expression and civic participation, better share their culture and hence foster understanding, enable people to engage freely in self-expression and the exchange of ideas, and sow the seeds of genuine learning, as well as quality education for all,” part of the letter read.

Also, it stated “That is why, in particular, any set of measurable goals and targets agreed upon as part of the Post-2015 development agenda should explicitly include broadband.”

In his video address to mark the 1000-day countdown to the MDGs, Mr. Ban noted the progress in what he termed “the most successful global anti-poverty push in history”. World poverty has halved, child mortality is dropping and more girls are now in school than ever before. But the challenges are on-going, and Mr. Ban called for 1000% effort in the final push towards 2015.

The Commission enjoined people to join the conversation at #MDGmomentum and help by Tweeting photos that illustrate the impact that broadband and ICTs have on the MDGs and for communities around the world.

Remmy Nweke 
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

ISOC to host AfPIF 2013 @ Morocco

Plans have been advanced for the hosting of the fourth annual African Peering and Interconnection Forum in Casablanca, Morocco in September.

ISOC announced to ITRealms that the forum would focus on Policy Aspects of Internet eXchange Points (IXPs), content, and cross-border Interconnections in Africa.
 

AfPIF 2013 will attract high patronage by the Minister of Industry, Trade, and New Technologies across the continent.
 

The three-dayforum billed for September 3 through 5, 2013 in Casablanca, Morocco is a unique regional forum, which facilitates discussions on African Internet infrastructure challenges, including terrestrial capacity issues, national and regional Internet Exchange Point (IXP) development, local content development, measures to lower connectivity costs, and international peering.
 

It also serves to gather key stakeholders, including Internet service and content providers, IXP operators, research and education networks, government network managers, regulators and policymakers to share experiences and advance peering and interconnection arrangements.

The theme of AfPIF 2013 is “Policy Implementation and the Regional Content Factor,” and the forum will address region-to-region policy, tapping into terrestrial cable potential and traffic management needs, as well as content issues that are critical components of transit deficits.
 

Dawit Bekele, the Internet Society Regional Bureau Director for Africa, says that nearly all peering and interconnection agreements are forged at regional and global peering forums such as AfPIF.

“We are pleased to offer this important event for the fourth consecutive year and provide an opportunity for the business and operational community to work together to augment Internet infrastructure and services in Africa,” he said, stressing that it offers the ideal venue for discussions and ideas on how to implement more efficient and cost effective local, regional, and international interconnection and peering strategies.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Technology, biggest driver of change for African continent – Etisalat boss

Steven Evans, Etisalat CEO                       courtesy: Tonero photos

Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Steve Evans, has described technology as the biggest driver of change for developing nations of the world, most in Africa.

Evans gave this description at the just-concluded Economist Conference sponsored by the network operator and held at the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, through a representative by the Director, Network Engineering, Mr. Temi Ogunbambi, on “Leveraging Technology to enable inclusive, private-sector led growth.”

Mr. Evans said that technology has been instrumental in Africa’s transformation over the past decade and could not be over-emphasised at this stage of development for the continent and developing world at large.

Most developing nations around the world, he said, have come to realize this fact, hence investment is encouraged in this sector.

He highlighted some of the obstacles to the growth of the telecoms sector, which include that tough regulatory and policy situations were faced on both federal and state levels, especially when applying for right of way or bringing in infrastructure.

“There needs to be some form of national integration. Etisalat Nigeria invests a significant sum in base stations. There needs to be public education and inclusion, to develop a sense of purpose and ownership so that subscribers become aware that if base stations are destroyed, the community will be deprived. Until the environment and policies are friendly, we cannot fully unleash the potential of investments,” he said.

ITRealms recalls that earlier, President Goodluck Jonathan in his keynote address tagged ‘Nigeria Summit 2013: Enabling and Implementing Change,’ said Africa is one of the world’s most rapidly growing economies.

He outlined an outlook for Nigeria in the next decade, saying that government’s commitment was to ensure a clean electoral process, economic inclusion, industrialize the country, especially through the oil and agricultural sectors for the purpose of job and wealth creation.

Remmy Nweke 
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Zenith Bank warns customers on fraudulent emails

Concerned with the avalanche of enquiries on electronic mails demanding some changes in Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) of customers, Zenith Bank plc, Thursday raised an alarm, warning customers to be wary of such emails.

ITRealms, learnt that Zenith Bank was overwhelmed by the number of customers reporting on these fraudulent mails to customers.

In an alert to customers, made available to ITRealms Thursday, 28 March, 2013, Zenith refuted the purported emails coming from them.

These emails, Zenith officials said, usually ask the customers to provide information such as Internet banking code, password, email address, email password, phone number, Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) Card PIN among others.

“Please note that Zenith Bank will NEVER request any update and/or personal banking details via email. Consequently, please DISREGARD all such emails as these are 'phishing' mails that may be used to defraud you,” part of the alert read.

And to help keep customers’ online banking experience completely worry free, Zenith advised them not to trust links in an email and as such DO NOT CLICK on them; Never give out personal information upon email request and personally type the web address for any site you want to visit on the web browser rather than clicking on a link sent through an email.

 

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Close-Up, partners plan to upset World Record on Tooth Brushing

Selected pupils from various schools in Lagos State at the kick off of the World

Record Tooth Brushing challenge to mark the World Oral Health Day 2013, recently.

Close-Up Toothpaste in partnership with Lagos State government, Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), HEIT Solutions, Vas2Net & Core Media, at the weekend commemorated the World Oral Health Day (WOHD) with plans to upset the World Record on Tooth Brushing.

ITRealms gathered that WOHD is celebrated every March 20 to prompt the public on the role of healthy mouth, gum and teeth play in the overall health of an individual. Just as the theme for this year was “Healthy Teeth for Healthy Life.”

The Oral Close-Up Category Manager at Unilever Nigeria, Mrs. Vivian Ihaza told participants Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, that Close Up and its partners intended to nurture healthier teeth and gums among communities and families across the country.

“Close Up will support the event where 300,000 students, at the same time in Lagos State will take part in a World Record Tooth Brushing Challenge to break the Guinness Book of Records earlier set by India,” she disclosed, stressing that the latest Guinness Book of Records on the event held by India brought together 176,000 people to brush their teeth at the same time.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina reiterated the significance of a healthy oral hygiene and enjoined Nigerians to embrace a proper routine for their Oral Health which includes regular care of the teeth and mouth by brushing twice daily.

She also said that tooth brushing is an essential part of healthy living, declaring “the way we brush our teeth has been trivialized to the point that over the years as we get older we build germs, we build bacteria and we build diseases, people tend to take the mouth for granted but unfortunately, the mouth is actually one of the passages into the body from where we take nourishment and other things.”

Equally commenting, Close-Up Brand Manager, Mr. Dexter Adeola enjoined Nigerians to embrace the campaign to break a world record by counting down daily until the 23^rd of May when the actual feat with 300,000 children will hold in Lagos State.

Chairman, Product committee, Nigeria Dental Association, Dr. Dunni Ogundana,

Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello; Founder HEIT Solution

 and Project Head, Lagos World record tooth brushing Challenge, Dr Bakare Lawal;

Category Manager, Oral Close Up, Vivian Ihaza; Special Adviser to the Governor on

Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina; Brand Manager, Close up, Dexter Adeola at

the 2013 World Oral Health Day.

He explained that on that Day Nigerians will be expected to brush twice a day to support the cause and join in the campaign.

 
Some of the dignitaries at the event included Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, Dr Bakare Lawal, Project Lead and Founder of HEIT Solutions and the representative of the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), Lagos State Chapter, Dr Ogundana as well as some celebrities namely GT the Guitar man, Obi One, and Camson were at hand to support and put glamour to the World Oral Health Day. 

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D