Speaking through the
second vice president, Mr. Muyiwa Ogungboye at the quarterly forum of the
Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) with the theme:
Local Content Development in Nigeria’s ICT Sector: Stimulant for National
Economic Recovery” made this demand in Lagos.
ATCON claimed it has some three dedicated programmes for local content, namely
“Professional
Apprenticeship in Telecommunication Engineering, Professional Apprenticeship in
Telecoms Regulatory Affairs, and Professional Apprenticeship in the production
or manufacturing of Telecommunications equipment’s.”
Ogungboye who also is the Managing Director of e-Stream said
that in order for the ICT sector to supplement or replace the oil and gas
sector, policies which favour the sector must be put in place.
“It should be emphasized that the petroleum industry which
used to be the cash cow for our nation (from a foreign exchange earning
perspective) is not doing so well right now and this is a global issue that
will take some time to recover,” he said.
He also said that the direct implication of this is that
Nigeria may not be able to finance her budget without resorting to further
government borrowing.
“ICT can as a matter of fact serve as the new cash cow for
the country provided the right polices are put in place,” he said.
ATCON, he said, would like to seek the cooperation of NITRA
in information dissemination of the need to fast track the implementation of
local content framework.
Government, the body said at all levels must make the ICT
sector a top priority in Nigeria, emphasizing need for government to increase
the budget on ICT.
Chuks Egbune/GEE
Pix: L-R Aaron Ukodie, publisher e-World Magazine, Muyiwa Ogungboye, MD e-Stream and 2nd VP ATCON, Emma Okonji, chairman, NITRA, Executive Director, Systemspecs Dr. Eze and Chief Chris Uwaje, former president, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria at the event.
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