Internet, most efficient means of communication – Onwuliri

Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Prof. Celestine Onwuliri, has described Internet as the most efficient means of communication for man in this century.

Prof. Onwuliri made this assertion in a welcome address he read at the one-day seminar on Internet for Jobs (I4J) Initiative of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) organized in collaboration with FUTO and sponsored by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

According to him, issues relating to globalization have been made easier because of the availability of internet in all parts of the world, which tends to confirm the ‘global village’ theory.

He also said that the Internet is one innovation of science and technology that has attempted to redefine human activities and functions, noting that like all inventions and innovations, the Internet has its strengths and weaknesses which could be exploited fully to man’s benefit or his disadvantage.

The VC listed some of the disadvantages of the Internet to include the copious expression in its use for various kinds of theft of personal information such as scams, spamming, virus threat, unrestricted platforms for online pornography and cybersex, which he said, is doing much harm to many users especially the mental health of adolescents.

On the other hand, the internet, he said, as a resource tool has several advantages, which could be exploited for man’s political, soc-economic, cultural, educational, religious and recreational developments.

As said by him, he cited an instance that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) must also be anchored on this premise among other issues that relate to good governance, rule of law, transparency and accountability.

These, he noted are currently driving the policy thrust of the present administration in the country, enunciated in the Seven-Point Agenda.

He, therefore, challenged participants to deliberate on ways and means of building capacity to create jobs using the internet.

“I, therefore, wish to sincerely commend the organizers of this seminar for their thoughtfulness in putting together today’s occasion with the theme: “Internet for Jobs: Building Capacity to Create Jobs using the Internet,” he said.

He disclosed that FUTO has entered partnership with Afri-Hub for the development of a mega-digital centre in the university community and the achievement of the Computerized Nigeria Project (CNP) with Zinox Technologies, have enabled some staff to own laptops for enhanced service delivery.

FUTO, he said, currently maintains two official websites, www.futo.edu.ng and www.futongr.com in addition to a portal www.futoeduportal.com which have been deployed for various service delivery such as staff internet browsing, online course registration, payment of school fees, administration of post university matriculation examination (PUME) screening exercise to name a few.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D