ATCON, ITAN enter alliance for ICT4D

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN), last weekend, entered into an alliance to share information on Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) with a consummation of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Giving the summary of the alliance at a media briefing in Lagos, the President, ITAN, Dr. Jimson Olufuye, said that this Memorandum of Understanding is for exchange of information for the benefit of the emerging ICT industry in the country.

He also said that each of the parties in the alliance would forward a copy of an input it has already made to the government to the other parties for information only.

“The purpose is to enhance understanding and minimize discordance in the different input from which governments base their decisions,” he said.

According to him, the independence and the right of content of opinion on input to governance are retained for every party involved, stressing that it would make it possible for any other association at take off in order to allow for any other willing industry association to have known the scope before opting to be part of the alliance.

He stressing that Internet Protocol (IP) enables convergence of hitherto disparate services for telephony, broadcasting, computing, communications, postal services to name a few, which has transformed the multi-polar world into a uni-polar world now referred to as a global village.

“The apparent global transformation has affected the way we live, play, study, work and particularly do business,” he said, adding that entities once thought to exist in silos are now driven by a common thread called the internet.

He noted that the objective of this alliance include to facilitate the need for governments to receive a common voice from advocates of the emerging ICT industry in the country, which benefits comprised improved industry base for the sector, accelerated development of the sector due to synergy and coordination of efforts towards one goal capable of leading to development and creation of business for members.

Additionally, Olufuye said that it would bring about increased political reckoning for the industry, fast-tracked public policy articulation and effectiveness as well as promotion of critical industry confidence desirous for accelerated attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Vision 20-2020.

In his remarks, ATCON president, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu reiterated that the scope of the alliance is limited to each partner sending a copy of any input it made to any government on issues relating to ICT industry development.

He warned that a few people may read meanings into the alliance and are likely to go aware with the notion that a body of association has been formed, stressing that some other people would find reasons as to why one association will eventually swallow another.

“This is not so … It is not so and it is not intended,” Omo-Ettu insisted.

He pointed out that the major benefit envisaged in the alliance is to facilitate assistance to the government in terms of reaching decision from advices from professional associations in manner that such advices will not be discordant.

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