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Friday, June 19, 2015

Camerounian onian TRB explains MoU benefits with NCC

ITRealms:
The  Telecommunication Regulatory Board (TRB) of Cameroun has explained why it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), reports ITRealms.

The Director-General of TRB, Monsieur Jean Louis Beh Mengue while describing the MoU as a defining moment said in Abuja that the MOU avails the formalisation and concretisation of the ties between TRB and NCC.

A Press statement by Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo also quoted Mengue as saying that MoU opens yet another chapter in the long and brotherly relations and “in a new area where we acknowledge the NCC has more experience where TRB can tap and benefit from its rich experience in areas such as the control of Quality of Service, Number Portability, Consumer Protection and passive infrastructure regulation just to name a few.”

In his welcome address, earlier, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah represented by Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, noted that “over the last two decades, the NCC has emerged as the most efficient government agency overseeing the Telecommunications industry, the fastest growing in Nigeria.”

Juwah  pointed out that NCC has achieved a lot through extensive and thoroughly laid out regulations, rules and policy directions that have guided the market conducts so as ensure sustainable competition in the industry.

“NCC’s continuous, active participation and consistent involvements in the global and regional activities buttress our unrelenting commitment towards building a regulatory environment that is comparable to any regulatory institution anywhere in the world” he said.

Further, Juwah said that the astronomical growth in Nigeria teledensity and subscriber base contributed to the increase in direct and indirect employment opportunities achieved through ensuring a level playing field, transparent and participatory regulations and extensive stakeholders consultative process.

Juwah said NCC is pleased to partner with TRB “in order to compare notes and share our wealth of experience in telecommunications regulation, “adding that “we assure TRB of our optimum cooperation as we pledge our continued support and open access to our enormous knowledge base resources in Licensing, Legal, Spectrum, and Numbering Administration, Competition and Economic Regulations.

“With the execution of the MoU, “we believe that both parties will take advantage of the opportunities that shall continue to unfold now and in the future,” he said.

The Camerounian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Salaheddine Abba, led the Cameroonian team and were received by Dr. Itanyi and some Directors of the NCC, including Director Finance Services, Mrs. Abigail Sholanke, Director, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Mr. Nnamdi Nwokike, and Head, New Media and Information, Mr. David Jumbo.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)

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Emirates targets 2m travelers for 2015 Ramadan, Umrah

ITRealms:
Emirates Airline has said it would operate 42 additional flights, serviced by the Boeing 777, between Dubai and Jeddah from 18 June to 23 July. From 24 July to 15 August in addition to 11 flights to Jeddah for the Ramadan and Umrah with a target of 2 million passengers, reports ITRealms.

These offers, Emirates told ITRealms will help accommodate the two million visitors expected to travel to Mecca during the Holy Month this year. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah, operated by a mix of A380s and Boeing 777 aircraft. The additional services can be accessed by travellers holding a valid Umrah visa, except for GCC nationals.

Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Centre at Emirates, Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, said travelling for Umrah during the Holy Month of Ramadan is a unique experience for Muslims around the world. With a sizeable increase in the demand for air travel during Ramadan, Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless for the scores of pilgrims looking to travel during this time.”

In keeping with traditions and values of the Holy Month, Emirates will be offering a special Iftar meal service. For flights departing close to Iftar, Emirates will provide small snack boxes at the boarding gates of Emirates Terminal 3, while large Iftar meal boxes will be served to passengers in-flight. The large Iftar meal box, designed by Emirates’ chefs, will be served in Economy class, with a similar selection served to fasting Business Class and First Class passengers.
Non-fasting passengers travelling on regular or Umrah flights will receive a cold meal instead of the regular hot meal for all flights taking off after sunrise and before sunset, to respect the many Muslim passengers completing Umrah on these flights.

Emirates also utilises a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for Imsak (the time to commence fasting) and Iftar while in-flight. The tool allows Emirates to calculate the exact Ramadan timings using the aircraft’s longitude, latitude and altitude; ensuring the greatest level of accuracy possible while onboard. When the sun sets, passengers will be informed of the Iftar time by the captain. This new tool was developed to supplement Emirates’ annually produced booklet on the timings for Ramadan, available on every flight.

During the holy month of Ramadan, Emirates’ award-winning ice system will feature 29 new Arabic movies and popular TV shows like Helwe w Kazebe, Al Ekhwa and Bint Al Shabahandar. These are in addition to 41 Arabic movies, 18 Arabic channels of TV programming, and the Holy Quran channel.

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Kogi West: Why Melaye’s election was upheld



ITRealms:

The late filing of election petition by former Senator representing Kogi West, forced the Election Petition Tribunal in Lokoja to upheld the election of Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) who won on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), reports ITRealms.

The Tribunal judge, ITRealms gathered dismissed the case for lack of merit as the petitioner, Senator Adeyemi, filed his papers very late.

Adeyemi, ITRealms recalled had dragged Melaye to the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Lokoja, alleging irregularities in the conduct of the election as well as the result declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 28, 2015.

The case was consequently dismissed for lack of merit because the plaintiff (Smart Adeyemi) filed his reply and preliminary objections late.

The conclusion of the Judge was that "the case be dismissed as abandoned."

Over 131 legal practitioners including Messers Ricky Terfa (SAN); Femi Falana (SAN) and civil rights activist, Festus Keyamo, have offered free legal services to Senator-elect for Kogi West Senatorial District, Otunba Dino Melaye.


Reacting to the outcome, Melaye declared: "This is not a season of boasts, I have defeated him and I will also defeat Smart Adeyemi because he is not on ground; even if election is conducted 100 times, I will floor him. Over 128 lawyers including two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) such as Ricky Terfa, Femi Falana and Festus Keyamo have offered  to give me free legal services (pro bono)."

In the petition filed by his counsel, Mr J.O. Olatoke (SAN), in which INEC is the third respondent, Adeyemi had claimed that Melaye was not duly elected or returned by the majority of the lawful votes cast during the election adding that he (Adeyemi) should be declared the winner.

The petitioner said he scored the majority of lawful votes cast during the election and ought to have been declared the winner.

According to the petitioner, the declaration of Melaye as winner was wrongful and invalid.


“Melaye was declared the winner of the election because of wrong and/or incorrect computation of lawful votes cast and intentional omission of collating results of the polling units won by the petitioners and counting of spoilt ballots in his favour", Adeyemi stated.

 

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Thursday, June 18, 2015

Efficiency, key factor to drive outsourcing




The Association of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria (AOPN) has said that efficiency is the major factor that could effectively promote the goals of outsourcing in Nigeria, reports ITRealms.

This was also the position of stakeholders at the just concluded AOPN 2015 Outsourcing Expo,Wednesday, at Muson Centre, Lagos.

The President of the Association, Dr. Austin Nweze, in an exclusive chat with ITRealms, spoke glowingly about the benefits of outsourcing which he described as having a bright future in Nigeria.  He explained that outsourcing is a situation where a person from one company takes up a particular job description in another company so that the service buyer could concentrate on his core competence, saying that the worker is treated as a staff where he is sent to work.

He disclosed that there is a remarkable difference between outsourcing and casualization, saying that this clarification has become germane in order to allay the fears in the public domain that outsourcing is synonymous with casualization.

Stressing that if eventually he is relieved of his work he goes back to his parent company and is posted to another place with all his salaries and entitlements intact, adding that in casualization the employee’s salary stops once he is relieved  of his job. He stated that the idea of the Expo is to galvanize ideas aimed at making Nigeria the hub of outsourcing in Africa.

The Expo, ITRealms gathered, involved exhibitions by member companies of the association where they had the opportunity to showcase what their companies are doing to the general public.  Stakeholders concurred on the modality to realize the goal of outsourcing,  emphasising it should be placed on efficiency and not profit maximization and cost reduction whether as a buyer or as a service provider,because that is the only thing that could drive value.

Though at infancy stage, panelists on the occasion said there is need for the industry players to step up their game in value proposition, process articulation and standardization for people to take the industry very serious and wrest the market from foreigners who Nigerian companies most times prefer to patronize, while at the same time agreeing that technology is what will drive the outsourcing initiative in the long run.

ITRealms reports that participant expressed the fear that computer may eventually take up human performance tasks which may rock the aim of outsourcing; however,this fear was allayed as there was a consensus of opinion that computer has rather enhanced job creation and better performance. The success achieved in call centres, for instance, in Nigeria was used as an example.

Mr. Sunday Folayan, President, Nigeria Internet Registry Administrators(NIRA), Member Governing Board of NITDAand representative of Mr. Peter Jack, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said that outsourcing is already here with us, adding that NITDA is playing a key role in showing the road map.

The Managing Director, Business School Netherland, Lary Bale at the Expo which had the theme: “The Value of Outsourcing” advocated that members of the association should find their ways into politics to be able to lobby through some of the objectives of the association into law, ITRealms reports.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Like good wine, President Buhari gets better with age - Adesina



Reporters Diary@ITRealms:
On Monday evening, President Muhammadu Buhari spoke with the Nigerian community at the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Speaking extempore, because according to him, he wanted to "speak from the heart," the President urged them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria, a country he went to the warfront to keep together.
Still extolling the virtues of our country, Nigeria, the President, who had served as a military governor of the then North-Eastern State at 33 years old, declared:"I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do."

The above comments have been reported by some newspapers to mean that the President was saying he was too old to cope with the demands of his office. Far from it.

As the saying goes, "old wines are tasty" and the President Buhari we have today is a man, like old wine, that has got tastier. At 72, yes, he can't be called a youth, but he has in quantum the wisdom, the patience, temperance and forbearance that age brings. And all these virtues he has brought to the Presidency, to make a difference in our national life.

The President reassured the Nigerian community in South Africa that his Administration will make a  positive impact on the country. He will ensure that this happens.

Insecurity as symbolized by insurgency will be brought to an end, corruption will be fought to a 
standstill, employment will be created for the teeming army of unemployed, the economy will be revived, and the quality of life of Nigerians will take an upward swing again.

At 72, the Buhari persona has not changed. He remains the simple, honest, incorruptible patriot he has always been. And because Nigerians earnestly desired change, that was why they voted for him overwhelmingly at the general elections in March, this year. All the virtues and values of the Buhari persona will be deployed into governance in the weeks and months ahead.

The Nigerian community in South Africa was enthralled as President Buhari spoke with them on Monday. In fact, leaving the venue was an effort, as they swarmed round the President, who shook hands with as many of them as he could.

They took his message well. That is the essence of good wine. It gets better with age. And it is a message for all Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora.

FEMI ADESINA is the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.


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Olashore seeks reform to maximise N17m real estate market

ITRealms:

There is need to reform the real estate market to maximise the N17m deficit, which shows a huge opportunity, says the Chief Executive Officer of Lead Capital Plc, and Chairman Board of Trustees of Olashore International School Prince Abimbola Olashore, report ITRealms.

Speaking in Lagos, Olashiore pointed out that to unlock opportunities in Nigeria's Real Estate market, the financial sector has to be reformed, stressing that fair banking practices have to be adopted and better supervision has to be focused on. 

“This will also stabilize prices in the long run and help to utilize the 17 million deficit in the real estate market which represents a huge opportunity,” he said, stressing in a paper presentation on 'Unlocking the Opportunities in the Nigerian Residential Real Estate market: The Investor’s Perspective' at a forum recently organized by Lekki Gardens Estate Investment, that the opportunities inherent in the sector lies in the fact that there’s an increasing population growth in which more than 80 per cent of Nigerians live in settlements and demand for housing far exceeds the supply.

“Opportunities in the Real Estate Financing cannot be seen from the Increasing population growth, rapid urbanization and the growth of the middle class have spurred demand for real estate. With the level of housing at only 2 dwelling units per thousand people compared to a rate of 8-10 dwelling units per thousand people as recommended by the United Nations. Nigeria has a population growth rate of 3 per cent and a rural-urban migration rate of 5 per cent, per annum. The rate of housing demand continues to exceed supply, presenting ample opportunities for growth and development” he said.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 

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Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Ndukwe named national coordinator of Affordable Internet Nigeria Coalition



The former chief executive officer and Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and co-chair of the Presidential Committee that produced Nigeria's National Broadband Plan, Dr. Ernest Chukwuka Anene Ndukwe has been named the National Coordinator of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) Nigeria Coalition, reports ITRealms.


Communications Officer, Alliance for Affordable Internet, Lauran Potter confirmed this to ITRealms last night, saying that Dr. Ndukwe’s role as National Coordinator, will traverse working with the A4AI Nigeria Coalition to lead advocacy efforts at the highest levels of government, championing the policy and regulatory reforms needed to reduce the cost of a broadband connection and increase access to affordable Internet.


Dr. Ndukwe, who also the group chairman of OpenMedia had previously served as Managing Director/CEO of General Telecom Plc and represented Nigeria as a Vice Chairman of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom Development Advisory Group (TDAG), assumed his new role on June 1, 2015. 


Reacting on his appointment, Dr. Ndukwe commended A4AI for achieving a lot within a short period of two years of stepping into Nigeria via advocacy, which he promised to strengthen with his new position. 


“A4AI has been working to increase access to affordable Internet in Nigeria only since October 2013, yet in that short time, has managed to make significant contributions toward making Internet for all Nigerians a reality. I am excited to join the Alliance as National Coordinator for A4AI’s Nigeria Coalition, and to further the great efforts that have been made to develop and put into place the policies and regulations needed to reduce the price of a basic broadband connection. Working with the Federal Government of Nigeria and other stakeholders, I am confident we can make great strides toward ensuring that more Nigerians than ever before can afford to come online and take advantage of the amazing opportunities that Internet access provides” Ndukwe said.


Dr. Ndukwe is known for extensive experience and strong leadership will increase A4AI’s impact in Nigeria and will further access to affordable Internet for all Nigerians.


For more information about Dr. Ndukwe’s appointment and A4AI's work in Nigeria, please see: http://a4ai.org/dr-ernest-ndukwe-appointed-as-national-coordinator-of-a4ai-nigeria-coalitions.


 +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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Pix: Dr. Ndukwe, courtesy A4AI

Nigerian Shola Taylor is new Secretery-General of CTO

ITRealms:

Nigerian Shola Taylor has been named the new secretary-general of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), an international treaty organisation headquartered in London, reports ITRealms
Mr Taylor who is expected to assume office on 17 September, 2015, is presently the chief executive officer of Kemilinks International, a global ICT consultancy firm based in Lagos. 
Source at the ongoing conference of CTO at the Abuja capital confirme this to  ITRealms.
A telecommunications engineer by training, Taylor prides himself with over 35 years of global experience in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) with government and the private sector. 
Before now he has held various positions including the regional director for Africa at Inmarsat (1994 - 1999), space technology coordinator for developing countries at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU, 1993 - 1994) and project director, also at the ITU (1987 - 1993).
Twice elected as a member of the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board (vice-chair in 2004, and chair in 2005), Mr Taylor has a rich inside knowledge of international organisations. Early in his career, he worked in telecommunication engineering, including as senior engineer at Nigerian Telecommunications (1981 - 1985) and spectrum engineer at Intelsat (1985 - 1987).
Reacting to his appointment, Mr Taylor said, "I am both excited and honoured at being appointed as secretary-general of the CTO, a community of diverse membership, and one that has accrued tremendous strengths over a hundred years. Given the impact of ICTs in our lives and the enormous opportunities for the socio-economic development of nations, I have accepted this challenge to make a positive contribution towards improved access to ICTs for all. I look forward to working closely with the CTO’s members, the Secretariat staff and other stakeholders, to ensure that the CTO remains the preferred partner for sustainable ICT development for all its members.” 
ITRealms recalls that over the years, Mr Taylor has developed a strong interest in the use of ICTs in sustainable development and has supported many governments in their development agenda for ICTs.


+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) r

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