Johnson, Juwah commend DigitalSENSE Africa on IG4D, IPv6 2014

ITRealms:

The Honourable Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, have commended the management of DigitalSENSE Africa Media Limited, for consistency in hosting the Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) and the Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable to educate Nigerians on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry issues.

Both spoke at the two-day 2014 edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum series held at Welcome Centre Hotels in Lagos with the theme “Internet Governance, eBiz and Open Access in Nigeria and IPv6 and Broadband Penetration.”

Mrs. Johnson who was represented by the Assistant Director, Computer Services at the ministry, Engr. Olufeko Olufemi, applauded DigitalSENSE Africa for the role it has played over the years, especially in the last six years.

She urged other reputed organizations to emulate DigitalSENSE Africa and encouraged industry stakeholders support for such a forum as Nigeria DigitalSENSE, because government and her agencies cannot do the job of public awareness for instance, along, more so on Internet Governance as part of the bottom-up process.

Also speaking at the event presided over by the Head, Computer Sciences, University of Lagos, Prof. Charles Uwadia, the EVC of NCC ably represented by the Deputy Director, Projects at NCC, Mr. Bashir Idris, in his keynote commended DigitalSENSE Africa for providing the relevant platform to address very topical issues such as the theme of this year’s forum across the many topical issues and developments across the ICT industry in Nigeria in recent times.

“We believe these are healthy for the quest to create the needed awareness among the stakeholders and beneficiaries of the potentials that abound in the industry,” he said.

NCC, he said, has plans to be very present and visible at the international level of discussions on all issues surrounding the ICT industry, stressing that the reason for this is to ensure that NCC impacts on discussions and decisions on global trends and regulations that evolve in the dynamic ICT space.

“This is why we are now paying more attention, and participating in the activities of the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, which is the global regulator of the telecom industry,” he said.

The Internet Governance Forum, he emphasised, is particularly of interest to NCC, which have currently raised a team in the Commission that is taking part on all the Internet Governance Forum discussions taking place around Africa and beyond.

“The reason is to ensure that our interest as a nation is fully represented at these discussions and to also ensure that we have first hand knowledge of how best to exploit the potentials that abound on the Internet,” EVC said.

Pointing out that as is in many issues where the global community has different views and interests in a technology platform, Internet Governance has become an issue of discussion over the years.

“It is yet to be seen if the world would gravitate to accept common laws regarding access and use of the Internet,” he said.

Welcoming participants earlier to 2014 edition of NDSF on IG4D, the Executive Director, Operations at DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, said the platform was created and nurtured to date as a think-tank platform where Nigerian internet stakeholders converge annually to raise and address germane issues concerning the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector with particular reference to Computing, Internet Governance-related issues towards helping to further advance Nigeria in the ever-rapidly advancing phenomenon of global ICT.

This year’s forum on  ‘Internet Governance, eBiz and Open Access in Nigeria.’ offers Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecom operators, value added service providers as well as all other stakeholders, the enabling ground to articulate a stand on Internet governance issues and accurately align NDSF on IG4D position into the national, regional, Africa and global agenda.

“It is pertinent at this juncture, to remind all young internet users particularly, to always be mindful of what they post on the internet because everything posted on the net is traceable to the author. Therefore, you are passionately advised to mind the stuff you post and the language with which such materials are posted on the internet for global consumption,” she asserted, stressing that this is important because the result of what people send or share online for the consummation of the global village remains their permanent signature and model of image which will definitely rub off on such an individual in all their future contacts.

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Day1 - IG4D Forum 2014: L-r Representative of Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah represented by Mr. Bashir Idris, chairman, Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D 2014) Prof. Charles Uwadia, Executive Director, Operations, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson represented by Engr. Olufeko Olufemi taking the nation anthem held at the Welcome Center Hotels, Lagos

Day2 - IPv6 Roundtable 2014: L-r Chairman, Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable 2014, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu, Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa Media, the organisers, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, guest speaker and chief executive officer, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) Mr. Muhammed Rudman held at the Welcome Center Hotels, Lagos.