" ITREALMS: CNP to invest N5b on varsities

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Thursday, May 24, 2007

CNP to invest N5b on varsities

The Computerize Nigeria Project (CNP), has announced its readiness to invest N5b in tertiary institutions nationwide.

CNP is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and an initiative of Zinox Technologies Limited with a focus to drive penetration of Personal Computer (PC) usage among Nigerians.

This development came on the heels of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CNP and Ministry of Education.

Head of Computerize Nigeria, Mrs. Vivian Abii informed that the latest investment plan is in line with the MoU, which would facilitate the running of a highly discounted computer ownership scheme for faculty and staff of tertiary institutions, as approved the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

According to her, the MOU encapsulates the vision of the Federal Government as stated by President Olusegun Obasanjo in his remark at the signing, which held in Abuja.

“ … In our effort to upgrade all our tertiary institutions to world-class standard, it has become even more critical that staff of our institutions become digitally skilled in order to achieve all round success,” Mr. President was quoted as saying in a press statement made available to Daily Champion and signed by the Corporate Affairs Manager at Zinox, Mr. Echika Ezuka.

Mrs. Abii also pointed out that CNP position is that no man can teach what he does not know.

Over the years, she said, CNP has worked relentlessly through the provision of subsidies and discounts to build an enabling IT environment in tertiary institutions with remarkable success in the some, including Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, University of Lagos, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Federal College of Education, Omoku, Rivers State, just to mention a few.

She explained that in the process, students have embraced a new intellectual world, staff have been recertified, IT infrastructure has been built entirely anew and host communities have been connected to the information super highway, just as IT related micro-economic activities have sprung up inside and outside campuses.

Mrs. Abii emphasized that the major contents of this exclusive agreement is to avoid turning the nation’s higher institutions into a dumping ground for all brands of unserviceable computers.

The Computerize Nigeria Project, she said, “shall recommend appropriate configurations of quality laptops, desktops and accessories for staff of participating institutions to choose; shall provide comprehensive warranty for all these products at least for a minimum period of 12 months; and set up an after sales support office on campus in order to reduce downtime.”

Each institution, she added is however, expected to provide an office space for the on-campus support center, even as other conditions include that CNP shall allow an installmental payment period of between three to 24 months to all staff; extend 5 per cent discount interest on market bank interest rates; any staff any staff could trade-in their old and dysfunctional computers at a discount for a new one.

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