Okere commends ICT Alliance

The Group Managing Director (GMD), Computer Warehouse Group, Mr. Austen Okere, has commanded a group known as Information and Technology Communications (ICT) Publishers Alliance for its determination in forming a formidable force especially in the commemoration of the 10 years of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).

He also said that by the emergences of this alliance that they would contribute meaningfully to the myriads of challenges facing the industry.

Welcoming the group to his office, recently, Okere noted that too many IT associations have weakened the capacity of the industry players to address the common challenges they face.

Okere whose company has established presence in about six other countries commended the alliance for the foresight to create a single body to address that genre of publishing that has emerged as one of the positive consequences of the country’s ICT revolution in the last 10 years.

“I want to commend your alliance for the vision with which it was founded and the lofty objectives it has set out to achieve. It is my hope that the various IT associations in the country will come together to form a single strong body at addressing the problems we all face as an industry,” he said.

According to Okere, at the moment, getting the critical support base is difficult because the bodies are myriad for the software, hardware and even integrators, stressing that the technology industry is one.

Although he affirmed CWG’s support for the ‘A Decade of GSM Forum’ slated to hold in August, jointly organized by the ICT Publishers Alliance in association with the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Okere asserted that CWG is part of Nigeria’s mobile telephony success story.

“CWG is the topmost indigenous player for the backend infrastructural services for the GSM industry. About 38 per cent of its earnings come from that subsector, the oil and gas industry is 12 per cent while the banking sector accounts for 50 per cent,” he declared.

Okere pointed out that CWG was established nearly 20 years ago with about $16, 000, but has grown to become a multinational IT company in an emerging market with annual turnover in excess of $120 million.

“We are a proof that Nigerian companies can truly excel; become world class in terms of management, vision, profitability and best corporate practice like any other global company from the western part of the world,” said Okere, adding that ExpertEdge Limited, an arm of the CWG services about 15 of Nigeria’s 24 banks with software application services to drive the financial sector.

Chairman of the ICT Publishers Alliance, Mr. Aaron Ukodie who also publishes eWorld magazine, pointed out that part of the objectives of the group is to encourage fact-based insightful media practice in the specialized genre of ICT reporting and help consolidate on the country’s growing achievements in the ICT sector by pressuring for rightful policy thrust and best industry practice.

“We are convinced that every industry must first self-regulate to earn the respect it deserves. We are also of the belief that for us to foster real growth in the sector and get all stakeholders whether private or public to contribute their quota, we must speak as one body,” he said.

The ICT Publishers Alliance consist of the premier media organisations focusing exclusively on the ICT sector, including eWorld, IT & Telecom Digest, Communication Weekly, IT Edge News.Com, IT World, and eBusiness Life whereas members have with over 10 years of publishing history.

“The Alliance underscores the unrelenting spirit of media entrepreneurs and the challenge at proving that the country has got strong-willed entrepreneurs in various fields to sustain its national economic growth,” said Mr. Mkpe Abang, publisher of IT &Telecom Digest in a vote of thanks to CWG for supporting ICT publishing industry.

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