Olufuye emerges ITAN president

IMMEDIATE national first vice president of the Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Mr. Jimson Olufuye of Kontemporary Komputers Limited, has emerged the president of the group at its general election held at the weekend in Lagos, following the conclusion of its annual general meeting.

Mr. Olufuye takes over from the Managing Director of Beta Computers, Mr. Will Anyaegbunam.

Announcing the outcome, chairman of ITAN electoral committee and chief executive of Innovative Systems Limited, Chief Ernest Aghanaenu, said Mr. Olufuye emergence came unopposed while the chief executive of Gafunk Computers, Mr. Ganiyu Alimi and Mrs. Bunmi Badru of Termex Limited equally emerged the first and second vice presidents respectively.

Also elected into the new executive of ITAN were Mr. Olu Joseph from Sephix Limited, Abuja as the National Publicity Secretary, Ms Akinyola Akinyemi of Omar Ventures, National Treasurer, Mr. Olumide Akinmutimu of Omatek Computers emerged the Assistant National Secretary, while the office of the National Secretary remain vacant, Mr. Tunji Balogun of Brain was elected as council member of ITAN.

In his acceptance speech, the newly elected president, Mr. Olufuye traced his interest in the group to the visionary leadership of former ITAN president, Mr. Chris Uwaje.

Mr. Olufuye also promised to take ITAN to the next level of development, saying that the next level would be to move ITAN from its hitherto position to its expected leadership position in the IT Industry.

He recalled that ITAN was well known for aggressive but sound industry initiatives like the local production of Personal Computers (PC) initiative of 1996, that which resulted in the likes of Zinox, Omatek, Beta, Brian among others.

Mr. Olufuye noted that the very successful IT Policy drive of 1999 by ITAN resulted in the adoption of the National IT Policy by the Federal Executive Council in March 2001, stressing that all this eluded ITAN in the past few years.

He promised to make Next Level the focal points of his administration through which he intends to resuscitate ITAN brand and membership with the goal of adding critical values to their businesses.

“In this regard, ITAN would organize quarterly capacity/policy/development forums like this to stimulate the industry,” he said.

In addition, he said his regime would promote top-level synergy with other sister associations in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in order to amass and drive critical developmental mass.

“I would be interested in strengthening the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) accord and working assiduously to ensure its success in all ramifications,” he said.

Further, Mr. Olufuye assured that his era would be work toward full compliance with the Computer for Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) Acts by ITAN members for the professionalism of the industry.

He pointed out that ITAN would endorse any presidential candidate that disposed to create the Ministry of Information Technology and pursue the passage of critical IT developmental bills on assumption of power on May 29, 2007.

Mr. Olufuye, therefore extended hands of fellowship to other associations of similar objectives in Africa and globally.

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