Mobile phone chat with Obama

The two-day visit of President Barack Obama to Ghana has come and gone, but the interactive session through Short Message Service (SMS) and web-chat with the people of Africa cannot be devalued, reports REMMY NWEKE.

For the Sub-Saharan Africans, it was a new dawn last weekend, when the first black President of United States of America (USA), Mr. Barack Obama visited Ghana and interestingly had a mobile phone chat with ordinary citizens across Africa and Nigeria in particular.

Among those who interacted with President Obama during his glorious two-day visit to the Sub-Saharan Africa, was a Nigerian public analyst, Mr. Ikechukwu Ukwa, who was caught in the web through an electronic mail forwarded to him by a friend, who received the e-mail from the United States’ mission in Nigeria, via the Information Resource Centers located both in Abuja and Lagos.

The email sought to know the citizens of Sub-Saharan Africa who are interested in following up the activities of President Obama, whilst his Accra visit lasted through Short Message Service (SMS) and web-chat interactive, especially on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 11am Accra time.

Initially, Mr. Ukwa did not take the mail seriously, but because Obama was involved, he followed the directive given, which entails that those interested in either SMS or web-chat should follow.

Part of the email read: “President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Accra, Ghana, from July 10 to 11. While in Ghana, the President will discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues with Ghanaian President Mills. The President and Mrs. Obama look forward to strengthening the U.S. relationship with one of our most trusted partners in sub-Saharan Africa, and to highlight the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting development. Connect through http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=212976270391.”

The most interesting part of the email for Mr. Ukwa was the aspect that read, “An Invitation to Africans: Send a message to President Obama and receive highlights of his speech in Ghana. And starting July 3, 2009, you are invited to send a text message to U.S. President Barack Obama with your questions and comments in advance of his visit to Africa.  Those who respond early will receive SMS highlights from his speech in Accra, Ghana on Saturday, July 11, 2009.“

Another beauty of this initiative was its availability in both English and French, even as it promised that “President Obama will directly answer selected questions through local radio broadcasts in Africa. Text messages may be subject to local and international charges as stipulated by your carrier.”

So, to send a text message to President Obama, from Nigeria, for instance, simply text ‘English’ or ‘French’ to short code 32969.  But if sender did not receive a confirmation of their enrollment within 10 minutes, they were advised to re-send to +45609910343.  Equally to text from anywhere in Africa, it was advised that SMS be sent to+61418601934. While for South Africa, interested participants should use short code 31958. It was highly recommended that capacity was limited hence interested people were asked to text right away.

Additionally, a clause was put in place that registration for highlights of President Obama’s speech would be limited, while all local mobile phone, mobile coverage, local and international operator mobile quality of service and charges, as well as other operational constraints and conditions apply. The SMS service is not a 100 per cent guarantee of message delivery, but the mail encourage the sharing of this information with colleagues, listeners, viewers, and readers.

For Mr. Ukwa and others on the continent, this opportunity was an exposure not only to interact with President Obama, but also to try out the capabilities of telecommunications operators in delivering on this initiative through SMS borderlessly.

Webopedia.com, a free online dictionary related to computer and Internet technology, described SMS as short or acronym for Short Message Service, which is similar to paging. SMS is a service for sending short text messages usually not exceeding 160 characters to mobile phones or exchanging text between mobile phones.

Hence, Ukwa sent ‘English’ to 32969 using his Glo Mobile line, one of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators in the country with accompanied question; “Ps what are your plans to encourage the growth of true democracy and leadership on the continent and precisely Nigeria.” And within three minutes, he received a response which read: “Thank you for your text message to President Obama. You are registered to receive speech updates. If you do not want updates, text ‘STOP’.”

Then came the d-day, Saturday, Mr. Ukwa left home despite the early morning rain, which extended till afternoon for a meeting in Victoria Island part of Lagos when at exactly 2:29.32 another SMS landed on his mobile phone, reading thus; “It is an honour for me to be in Accra, and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the U.S.”

This prompted Ukwa to fast-forward the session and headed home to capture the exciting visit in Digital Satellite Television (DSTv), only to behold that Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) is still withholding public power supply which was last available seven days ago, despite promise to return it on Saturday.

Ukwa also tried powering his house momentarily with a generating set, but discovered that the last fuel was used-up the previous night, as a result, he relied on his mobile phone to follow up on US President’s visit in Accra as the SMS on Obama’s speech continued to pour in; and part of the speech read: “The 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well. Just as it is important to emerge from the control of another nation, it is even more important to build one’s own. Governments that respect the will of their own people are more prosperous, more stable, and more successful than governments that do not.”

And so, the conversation continued between Obama and Ukwa as he focused on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world, namely democracy; opportunity; health and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Consequently, Obama noted without any reservation that “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”

According to President Obama, with better governance, he has no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base for prosperity and there is need for the people to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, promote health in their communities and countries, even as America is ready to support these efforts through a comprehensive and global health strategy.

“Africa’s diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division,” he asserted in one of the SMS’, stressing that the world must stand up to inhumanity in our midst, emphasizing that it is never justifiable to target the innocents in the name of ideology. Obama also told Ukwa that freedom is an inheritance and it is now the responsibility of the people to build upon freedom’s foundation.

“I am speaking to the young people. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. I can promise you this: America will be with you. As a partner. As a friend,” Obama declared.

What the above scenario unveiled was the much needed collaboration between Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and policy makers, usually the political class in discharging their responsibilities as the representatives of the people. More so the efficacy of the mobile phones as tools and SMS as a veritable Value Added Service (VAS) that cannot be over-emphasized in today’s world of communications, especially in delivering cogent communications across border, typically in reaching out to the citizenry.

Therefore, bringing to the fore the importance of a recent workshop organized in Dialaw-Senegal by the Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA) through its ICT programme on International Liberalization of Trade in ICT goods and services (LICOM), with the support of a Canada-based organization, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), in partnership with the CRES - Centre de recherches Economiques et Sociales.

At the workshop, Mr. Ken Lohento, the project director, LICOM, highlighted the challenges for the private sector and implications for the implementation of public policies in West Africa aimed at contributing for a better understanding of international challenges of liberalization of trade in ICT services, in order to encourage formulation of public policies conducive to the development of ICT and private sector in West Africa; cutting across Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Benin Republic.

Just as stakeholders who commented on the Obama’s visit initiative via SMS and web-chat described it as novel, but should not have been possible without liberalization, for instance, of the telecommunications markets in the West African region, especially in Nigeria and Ghana, which have spurred the evolution of some VAS offering to boost interactions among the citizens and policy makers as displayed during the Obama visit.

Above all, over 15 SMS’ were received by Mr. Ukwa and friends who subscribed to the initiative via mobile phones.

Therefore, it is highly advocated that when next our presidents in the sub-region give their address to the nations, the operators should be involved through the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) and respective country industry regulators like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), so as to reach out to the masses and importantly Nigerians spread across the sub-region.

This way, leaders in the continent and sub-region precisely would realise the importance of the statement from President Obama’s speech; “Governments that respect the will of their own people are more prosperous, more stable, and more successful than governments that do not.”

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Why Mobitel was granted concession – NCC

Telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given more insight on why it granted concession to Mobitel Nigeria Limited, prior to a new management take over.

In a letter addressed to chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe said that the concession was granted based on facts available to him as chief executive officer of the commission and dully authorized by law as well as statutes to take a decision on such matters.

Corroborating the EVC position on the waiver, was a full report on the issues in the ‘concession’ granted Mobitel Limited and sighted by ITRealms Online, weekend, which indicated that the case was extensively investigated by the special assistant to the
EVC on Legal and Regulatory, Mr. Ayoola Oke.

The investigation which saw to the retrieval of Mobitel’s file at the EVC’s office registry, legal directorate registry and engineering directorate registry, coupled with the interview of some officers at various departments, especially the Engineering, who were desk officers involved with the matter over the years and presumably most familiar with the issues covering a period over four years before the current appointment.

The report noted that indeed a request for waiver of a portion of the debts owed by Mobitel was brought before the EVC to which he had instructed the Director, Legal Services to communicate a denial of the request based on the full facts available to him at the time, but persistence on the part of the company for the waiver claiming that it was wrongly billed while not in operation between 2004 and 2008.

“It was when the matter could not be resolved at the lower level in the Commission that the matter was again escalated to him,” Mr. Oke stated in the report, stressing that at a meeting in September 2008, Mobitel’s representatives informed the Commission of the impending plan to sell the company to new investors.

“They pleaded with NCC that in order to consummate the sale to new investors, it was necessary that the old shareholders cleared all outstanding debts owed the NCC. They also indicated that as a measure of goodwill they had paid N500 million, being two thirds of their total outstanding indebtedness to NCC. They drew the attention of the Commission’s representatives to the fact that the company had been non-operational since 2004 and under receivership since 2005 without any earnings and yet was being billed by NCC for frequencies, numbering plan, etc,” part of the report read.

Mr. Oke’s investigations also revealed that it was after full briefing on the matter that the EVC personally reviewed the company’s file and discussed the relevant documents with the desk officers and “it became apparent to him that there were inconsistencies in the billing and that the estimated bill given to the company had been relatively exaggerated.”

Hence, it was advisable to rather than commence another round of tedious reconciliations and meetings on the issue and since the company was only requesting for a ‘waiver’ or concession that the company was granted 50 per cent discount on the bill of N485,500,000 million for the period 2004 through 2008 when Mobitel was not in operation.

Further, the investigations revealed that Mobitel was inaccurately estimated at N747,945,463.00, which should not have included billing for two states, namely Rivers and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where it had not rolled out prior to the suspension of operation in 2004 and subsequent receivership.

“These states are Rivers and FCT for 2.2 Gega Hertz (GHz) {N113,4000,000.00} each totaling a sum of N226,800,000.00. … A disputed arrears, which had been recalculated under the Frequency Spectrum Pricing Regulation to N53,699,750.00,” the report read while excluding N20 million already paid on account by Mobitel.

Therefore, bringing the total of overbilling of Mobitel to N298,675,250.00, based on the facts that frequency spectrum slots were obtained by Mobitel Limited from the Ministry of Communications at the time when the Ministry was still in charge of spectrum administration, which entailed that telecom operators were billed for frequency on a per subscriber basis, thus permitting frequency reservation of which FCT and Rivers were reserved frequencies as the company had not rolled out in those cities.

According to the NCC investigations, in spite of several demands by the Commission, the Ministry never forwarded the full records of its spectrum administration to the Commission, hence its Engineering department was left with no other option but to issue estimated bills to licensees and prevail on the operators to pay-up or come forward for bill reconciliation and adjustments.

“These reconciliation exercises often dragged on for a long time and involved many meetings, verification of records, negotiations, offers and counter offers. Generally some of the issues on which such negotiations centre include reservation of frequency spectrum slots, viability, request for frequency slot changes and replacement, reassignment or relocation, identification of roll out areas, etc,” NCC explained.

The Commission said its engineering department made up of engineers were actively involved in such negotiations where the word ‘waiver’ was loosely used whenever the engineers accepted proof of exaggerated estimated billing.

“Thus, technically, these situations were not actual waivers,” the report stated, pointing out that in the case of Mobitel Limited, because it was moribund and had lost its entire staff including the regulatory affairs staff, whose job was to do billing reconciliation and point out errors, “instead in 2008 the company through its acting chairman requested a ‘waiver’ after making a payment of N500 million.”

And based on the aforementioned, the report indicated that it became apparent to the investigators that the company – Mobitel had been over-billed and already over paid after due investigations.

Equally, based on these explanations, the report highlighted Chapter VII, Part 1 on Technical Regulation of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, of which Section 121 vested exclusive jurisdiction to administer frequency spectrum in Nigeria in NCC, which included powers formally vested in the Minister of Communications by the Wireless Telegraphy Act (WTA).

“The principal regulation under the WTA also in its Section 12 vest the power to modify and grant waivers for spectrum license fee in the Director-General of the Ministry by implication is now vested in the chief executive of the NCC after transference of the Minister’s powers to NCC,” Oke submitted.

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FG may subsidise cost of digital switchover

Federal Government may be considering subsidizing the cost of digital switchover by broadcasting stations in the country.

According to the Lagos State Zonal Director, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Olufemi Ayeni, this has become necessary as part of effort in meeting the 2012 digital switchover.

He also said government has taken this step to save broadcast stations the enormous cost of a transmitter by providing a unitary antenna in regions to beam signal code for their audiences to receive.

“Because it will not be cost-effective for individual stations to procure digital transmitters, the NBC is working with other interested stakeholders how we can have a unitary antenna, either in region or within the nation where stations can beam signals to for the audiences to receive. It is called the Multiplexer,” he said.  

He explained that a multiplexer is a transmitting device that receives and distributes signals and that this will enable the stations to concentrate on production. 

Ayeni who was optimistic that the 2012 date would be met, said that digitization is not new and that most stations in the country have already gone digital except in area of transmission.

“If you look at broadcasting, the issue of digitization is not new, if you go to virtually all the radio and TV stations in Nigeria they have digitized up to a level. Once upon a time it was Betacam, Betamax and U-matic. Before Betamax we were using reel-to-reel, one inch and two, after this some stations went to Super VHS.

Even when the home video started what we had were poor video and sound quality because they were using VHS machines but today things have changed, they have upgraded and gone for training and so you now see our home videos on digital satellite television (DStv),” he said.

Ayeni pointed out that what exists in the country today in terms of analogue are just the transmitters and that the studios are now digitized.

Further, he said, that digitization does not mean throwing away the present television sets but that with a converter an analogue TV can transmit digital signals.

“For the next 10-15 years there is no fear using your present analogue television, but you need a converter or you subscribe to a cable station to enable you receive the signals,” he explained.

The Lagos NBC boss equally advised those that could procure a digital TV to do so and be sure of what they have bought is digital-compliant, disclosing that in the coming months the processes for conversion will be made public which may include the subsidy from government to ameliorate the effect of the switchover, stressing that government is working seriously to ensure that the date is attainable.

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Champion reporter bags international IT award

Senior Reporter with Champion Newspapers Limited, Mr. Remmy Nweke, has won the 2008 African Siemens Profile Awards, for his contribution to reporting Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Africa.

Based in South Africa, the Siemens African Profile Awards which originally started as a South African initiative, has evolved since 2004 to become a fully-fledged pan-African initiative. Daily Champion recalls that Mr. Nweke was a pioneer prize winner of Siemens African Profile Awards, and he became the first Nigerian journalist to win the prize back-to-back in IT business solution category.

According to the award organizers, the Certificate of Recognition is in honour for his journalistic contribution to excellence in the fields of Science and Technology. Nweke’s entry was the “Imperative of SIM cards registration’ published in Daily Champion of October 8, 2008, for the Siemens Africa Profile Awards 2008, which earned him the Merit prize.

Speaking on the award, the chief executive officer, Siemens Southern Africa, Mr. Sigi Proebstl, said that as one of the world's leading engineering and electronics organisations, Siemens is driven by innovation, with science and technology at the very centre of everything.

“Advancements in science and technology can help everyone to create safer and healthier societies, cleaner environments and prosperous knowledge-driven economies across Africa,” he said.

The Siemens portfolio, he said, spans a broad range of markets, from power, transportation, automation and drives healthcare through to information technology and industrial solutions and services.

“Given the wide scope of the company's products, systems, solutions and services, the Siemens portfolio has the ability to impact on almost every aspect of daily life,” he said.

Highlighting the fact that with this in mind, Siemens appreciates that science and technology reporting needs to be continuously accelerated and improved across the African continent in order to demystify these very important topics that have the potential to impact massively on the lives of the continent's people and beyond.

“For these reasons, Siemens sees the reporting of science and technology in an easily understandable format as a priority for Africa. Consequently, the recognition and reward of those writers, broadcasters and producers who effectively do this, is a vitally important task and it is in this spirit that Siemens sponsors the Profile Awards for the 8th year in a row with a total investment of nearly R4 million,” he said.

The CEO stressed that at Siemens, “we pursue excellence in all we do; excellence in products, excellence in services and excellence in solutions. But most of all, we pursue excellence in people, and where we find it, we reward it.”


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Africa needs research technology to achieve MDGs – ASSRT

The Secretary General, African Society for Scientific Research & Technology (ASSRT) Dr. Amany Asfour has said that promotion of research technology has become mandatory for achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on the continent.

Disclosing this weekend, in a public statement made available to ITRealms Online on preparations made so far on the forthcoming third ASSRT congress to be hosted in Cairo, Egypt, Asfour said the conference is being organized under the theme, “Scientific Research and Technology to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”

Asfour also said that the congress scheduled to hold in November will be held under the Human Resources, Science & Technology Cluster (ECOSOCC) African Union Economic Social Cultural Council in collaboration with National Research Center (NRC) of Egypt.

The ASSRT scribe said that the event has been slated to take place between November 1 and 3 in Cairo, Egypt.

“Our African continent is the richest continent yet the poorest of them all. The need for the promotion of Scientific Research and Technology is mandatory for the development of Africa and for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” Asfour declared.

In recognition of this initiative from the Civil Society to gather inputs and emphasize the active role of Civil Society Organizations as development partner for the lobbying and advocacy for the popularization as well as awareness of the importance of scientific research and technology that ASSRT announced the date for this year’s congress.

Asfour said the public awareness of all sectors of the society including African leaders, policy makers, decision makers, politicians, media, and private sector, is very important for the promotion of scientific research and the legislation for the enabling environment for investment in scientific research and technology.

Hence, this Congress has been planned as a way forward to achieve certain objectives that includes putting a road map for all stakeholders on how to accomplish the MDGs through scientific research and technology by promoting scientific research-related to the needs of the African Continent.

Also, Asfour said, the establishment of a database for the scientific institutes and research centers through gathering of scientists and researchers from all over Africa and the diaspora in all fields, emphasizes the role of the Civil Society as a partner of development and as an active player for the popularization and awareness for the importance of the scientific research and technology.

ASSRT president, Prof. Khaled Lotfy Dabees, emphasized some priority areas for Africa during the congress, to include health care and drug industry; agriculture and food technology; energy; infrastructure; water; environment; biotechnology, Information and Communication Technology.

Recalling that in the year 2000 the member states of the United Nations signed the Millennium Declaration, which led to the adoption of the Eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Five years later at the UN World Summit in 2005 countries reaffirmed their commitment to the MDGs.

And despite these commitments, there has been mixed progress regionally and across the globe, just as Prof. Dabees listed the eight points of MDGs to include “Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Achieve Universal Primary Education, Promote Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, Reduce Child Mortality, Improve Maternal Health, Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases, Ensure Environmental Sustainability, and Develop a Global Partnership for Development.”

Dabees stressed that achieving MDGs require concrete actions from national governments, development partners, civil society organizations and the private sector.

“Thus the United nations General Assembly called for building partnership between the UN, Governments and the Civil Society to accelerate the Implementation of the millennium Development Goals by 2015,” Dabees said.

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e-Business Life debuts

In realization of the need to inform and educate telecoms and computer users on how to maximize Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products and services, a magazine, tagged, e-Business Life, has made its debut into the Nigerian market.

According to the publisher, Mrs. Ufuoma Emuophedaro, e-Business Life gives information on global trends, services and products in the market, on how consumers are using the products and services, as well as how ICT tools have changed the lives of users including useful tips that will help optimizing these products and services.

Emuophedaro noted that often times when ICT news is reported the consumer is ignored as such focus is usually on reporting news meant for ICT professionals, which e-Business Life magazine has come to change by focusing on bringing better news and information that would link users and service providers together.

She also said her team is poised to offer utility and guidance to ICT users, stressing that e-Business Life emergence has become necessary as “we can see the effects of ICT on medicine, law, education and business transactions of all sorts across the globe. Everyone now use ICT in one form or the other, making it important for users to have a better understanding of these technologies. This situation underscores the need to inform and educate the people on trends and developments in ICT around the world.

Mrs. Emuophedaro explained that the name e-Business Life signifies the relationship between electronics business and our daily lives since ICT now impacts on every aspect of our daily lives.

She pointed out that the magazine was borne from the realization that information and education are the best instruments for protecting consumers of telecom products and services, noting that such protection is not currently evident in Nigeria today.

According to her, e-Business Life magazine is intended to give consumers information on global trends and developments in ICTs as well as the skills, information and confidence consumers need to get the best deal they can from the market place.

Further, Mrs. Emuophedaro said another thing that distinguishes e-Business Life magazine from the rest is the distribution.

“Our distribution network is spread across major cities in Nigeria such as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Warri, Benin, Enugu, Owerri, Kaduna, Kano and Jos, not just Lagos,” she said.

Mrs. Emuophedaro was also the former Vice President, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) and a member of the board, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA).

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Know your Skype end user license (16)

This software is controlled under ECCN 5D992.b.1 of the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) per CCATS # G047973 and thus may not be exported or re exported to or downloaded by any person in any countries controlled for anti terrorism reasons under the EAR, which include Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria and Sudan. EAR 742.15(a), Title 15 Code of Federal Regulations.

Moreover, the software may not be exported or re exported to or downloaded by any person or entity subject to US sanctions regardless of location. See http://www.bis.doc.gov/ComplianceAndEnforcement/ListsToCheck.htm and EAR Part 736.
Skype is making this software available to You for download only on the condition that You certify that You are not such a person or entity and that the download is not otherwise in violation of US export control and sanctions regulations.
5. Term, Termination, Updates

5.1 Term: This Agreement will be effective as of the Effective Date and will remain effective until terminated by either Skype or You as set out below.

The Additional Terms will be effective as of the date upon which they are accepted by You or You use the relevant Skype Service (as applicable), and will remain effective until terminated by either Skype or You as set out below and/or in the applicable terms.

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Dozie, Ndukwe honoured @ Africa Business awards

Chairman, MTN Nigeria Mr. Pascal Dozie and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe were among winners in the just concluded Africa Business Awards 2009 held in the United Kingdom (UK).

Also listed among other winners included Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, and Maria Ramos of South Africa, thus bring the number of African winners in the award to four, while the nation of Mauritius, and Lagos State Government of Nigeria, were also the only governments crowned at the occasion.

The Africa Business Awards, was part of the events during the just concluded the Commonwealth Business Council in London, hosted by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC), in collaboration with IC Publications.

The awards, according to the organizers, are aimed at celebrating African individuals and businesses whose achievements are changing the perception of Africa’s potentials in domestic and international markets. It is also designed to celebrate their excellence and positive impacts within their industry as well as for their contributions towards the development of the continent.

Speaking at the event, Director General, CBC, Dr. Mohan Kaul, said in his address that the award is an opportunity to promote confidence and highlight the numerous successes and achievements of businesses and business people on the African continent.

“By holding the awards alongside our prestigious G8 Africa Business Forum, here in London, we hope to ensure that the African Business achievements are known, not only to Africans, but to the world at large,” he said. However, Ndukwe was honoured with the award of “Outstanding Contributions in Public Office,” while Mr. Pascal Dozie received the “Lifetime Achievement Award.” Mr. Ramaphosa, Executive Chairman, Shanduka Group, South Africa, received the “Business Leader of the Year” award whereas the Group Chief Executive Officer of ABSA Group, South Africa, Mrs. Ramos, was honoured with the “Outstanding Business Woman of the Year” award. Mr. Pascal Dozie was crowned for his successful foray in business spanning many years as a banker and boardroom supremo.

The citation read by the organizers about Ndukwe, recounted his impressive performance as Nigeria’s telecom regulator who has put Nigeria in the global map as one of the fastest telecom growing countries in the world.

It described the growth witnessed in Nigeria’s telecom industry from less than 400,000 by 2001 to about 67 Million in 2009, as a revolution that has made Africa proud.“The Board of Directors of the Organizing  Committee decided to honour you with this special recognition award for your achievement in public office and for your contributions to the telecommunication sector in Nigeria and the transformational role in creating a framework to improve service delivery through public sector reform,” it said.

Also at the event, the Island of Mauritius, was honoured with the award for “Tourism Destination of the Year”, while Nigeria’s Lagos State Government received the award for “Good Corporate Governance.”

Corporate organizations in the continent who won awards at the event include; Goldman Sachs (Best Corporate Citizenship/Social Responsibility), Ecobank (African Business of the Year), Diageo (Best Global Business in Africa), MTN (Telecoms Company of the Year) and Kenya Airways (Airline of the Year).

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ITU, Qualcomm enhance mobile service for emergencies

Global telecommunications regulator, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is partnering with Qualcomm Incorporated to enhance emergency communications for disaster preparedness and to coordinate relief activities in the aftermath of a disaster.

This deal was cemented with the agreement reached last week between the two, which enables Qualcomm to donate to ITU a Qualcomm Deployable Base Station (QDBS) with a total estimated value of about USD 500,000, about.

Director, ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, Mr. Sami Al Basheer, said, the base station will enhance ITU’s capacity in deploying mobile telecommunications to assist countries in preparing for disaster and in strengthening response and recovery mechanisms.

Based on 3G Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, QDBS is a compact, quickly deployable and easy to operate mobile solution for providing first-responder communications, which is reliable, responsive and complete cellular system with the ability to forward-deployed to supply vital wireless communications.

“We are delighted by this alliance with one of our development Sector Members. QDBS brings with it the wireless technology that is so essential in bridging the telecommunication gap when terrestrial networks are knocked out by natural disasters,” he said.

A press statement made available to ITRealms Online and endorsed by the Chief, Media Relations and Public Information at ITU, Mr. Sanjay Acharya, and Ms. Tina Asmar of Qualcomm Corporate Communications, pointed out that Qualcomm provides wireless solutions that are relevant and critical in responding to disasters, especially through its Wireless Reach initiative, thus it works with organizations such as ITU to bring wireless technology to those who need it most.

The Senior Director, International Government Affairs at Qualcomm, Shawn A. Covell, was quoted as expressing delight over the partnership and promises that they would continue to provide a useful system to enhance their emergency communications programme.

“Wireless Reach is fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with ITU in order to help make a difference when a disaster strikes,” Covell said.

ITRealms Online recalls that Qualcomm believes access to advanced wireless voice and data services would improve people’s lives. Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative supports programmes and solutions that bring the benefits of connectivity to developing communities globally. By working with partners, Wireless Reach projects create new ways for people to communicate, learn, access health care and reach global markets.

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Glo slashes tariff for farmers

Mobile subsidiary of the Second National Operator (SNO), Glo Mobile has slashed call rate for a group of farmers under the aegis of Western Nigeria International Agriculture (WNIA) to make calls at N10 per minute and 20k per second, just as the telco sponsored this year’s summit.

The summit, which saw hundreds of farmers in attendance was organised as an exhibition and training seminar to bring farmers together for capacity building, learning, and technology transfer.

Also in attendance were small and large scale farmers associations, cooperatives, investors, retailers of farming equipment and products as well as top government officials.

Speaking at the event, head, Sales department at Globacom, Mr. Charles Odiase, said that the company decided to sponsor the summit and bring value to Nigerian farmers by offering members post-paid lines with a Closed User Group (CUG) to enable them make calls for as low as N10 per minute or 20k per second.

Odiase also said that the partnership with Nigerian farmers is in line with Globacom’s strategy and vision to provide affordable telecommunications services to various strata of the Nigerian society.

He called on farmers nationwide to make use of the opportunity by registering with the African Farming Project, organisers of the summit in order to benefit from the initiative.

Responding, the International Coordinator of the Africa Farming Project, Mr. Bright Okwu commended Globacom for partnering with the organisation to bring tremendous value to Nigerian farmers who need all the support they can get in their efforts to free the nation from import dependency through improved farming methods and large scale food production.

“The fact that Globacom is doing this is no surprise to us since the company is well known for its support for other sectors of the economy such as sports, arts, culture and entertainment”, he said.

Globacom was also honoured with an award at the summit as the “Most Farmer Friendly Telecom Company” for its efforts at touching the lives of Nigerian farmers through its support of the capacity building summit; and for giving a unique opportunity to farmers through the Closed User Group initiative.

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