ITAN hosts WITSA @ ‘09-ADIPENG

HARDWare interest group in the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN) in collaboration with the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), has advanced plans to host an international conference at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, next month, April 2009.

ITAN President, Dr Jimson Olufuye, made this known at a press conference in Lagos, weekend, revealing that a delegation from WITSA led by its chairman, Mr. Dato’ Dan E. Khoo is expected at the three-day meeting holding at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja between April 21-23, with theme: Advancing the Dynamics of ICT Policy Engineering for e-Government (ADIPENG-09).

He also said that the delegation is billed to promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Nigeria as part of nation’s benefit of its membership, inaugurate the WITSA/ITAN/NCS Government Advisory Group on April 23rd and play active role in ADIPENG 2009.

Olufuye, who was accompanied by the Regional Director, D-Link, Mr. Chris Uwaje, noted that a handful of state governments, business entities and the Federal Government have IT policies, and there is no doubt that these policies needed to be taken to the next level for better government service delivery on the e-platform for the people and for effective governance across the government and organisations.

“It is an opportunity for states, local government and entities without an ICT policy to adapt better practices for a leapfrog experience,” he declared, stressing that the international meeting would focus on ICT policy decision makers across all levels of government in the country.

“Federal, States, Local governments and corporate concern ICT decision makers are welcome,” he said.

ITAN president further said that WITSA chairman, Mr. Dato Dan E. Khoo, would be joined at the occasion by the World Bank Chief Economist to Nigeria, Mr. Ismail Radwan, chief executive, Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia, President, Nigerian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Prof. Cleopas Angaye, NCS President, Prof. Charles Uwadia, as well as President of the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) Prof. (Mrs) Adenike Osofisan.

The aforementioned guests, he said, would form part of the eminent Information Technology (IT) experts to make keynote presentations on April 21, which is the opening ceremony.

In addition, he said, Kano State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr. Bashir Galadanci, Mrs Clara Vrom of Ghana Investment Council, Director General, Koffi Anna Center for ICT Excellence, Dorothy Gordon, Director ECOWAS CCC, Dr Sola Afolabi, President, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, and President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Dr. Emmanuel Ekunwem, would grace the occasion.

Others, he said, include the Managing Director, Programos Software, Mr. Emmanuel Amos, plus President AfriHub Ltd, Prof. Manny Aniebonam, chief executive, The Executive Cyberschuul, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu and Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola have been slated to be some of the key speakers at the event.

State Governments like Kano, Ogun and FCT Administration, he said, will be making presentations on their e-Government programmes.

“The workshop indeed will provide opportunities for local, state and federal governments to engage the visitors and one another on ICT investment potentials across Nigeria. It will also afford WITSA delegation ample opportunity for first hand assessment of the tremendous IT investment potentials in Nigeria,” he said.

Further, Olufuye said that it would open-up the non-oil and gas sector particularly the ICT, which is lagging behind in FDI into Nigeria, recalling that oil & gas currently attracts more than 55 per cent of the estimated US$9 billion yearly FDI into the country.

“With the Federal Government target of US$50b FDI yearly till 2020, this workshop is no doubt critical to the attainment of the Vision 2020 of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.

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