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| President Goodluck Jonathan |
Recently, a 14-man Broadband Committee was inaugurated by the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, with the mandate to develop a comprehensive broadband strategy and roadmap for Nigeria.
This step by the federal government deserves commendation and support of all stakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in the country.
At the inauguration, Mr. President tasked members of the Committee led by the immediate-past Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who also serves as the chairman, OpenMedia Group and co-chaired by industry investor and chairman of Visafone Communications, Mr. Jim Ovia; to work assiduously to perform this task creditably and expeditiously.
Mr. President noted that Broadband access and internet technologies are a key enabler of socio-economic growth, stressing the importance of thinking how to build a digital economy in this era of the knowledge economy.
Worthy of note is the fact that President Jonathan recognised the National ICT policy as setting a target of a five-fold increase in broadband penetration by 2017, hence his administration inaugurated the committee to develop a comprehensive broadband roadmap for the country to achieve this goal.
He further mandated the Ministry of Education to incorporate ICTs in the nation’s education curriculum beginning from the primary school level to raise global ICT leaders of tomorrow.
“Whereas we are working to transform our present realities, my administration is also laying a proper foundation for a prosperous future,” he said, emphasizing the import of this direction in effort at growing the future innovators of today, like Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and Mark Zukerberg, founder of Facebook.
Broadband, he said has the potential to facilitate the creation of new industries and introduce significant efficiencies into existing ones in all sectors of the economy.
He also pledged that his “administration will continue to give the necessary support and encouragement to ICT practitioners in Nigeria to empower collective effort in attaining the goal of 21st century economy.
His administration’s commitment in investing in the deployment and adoption of ICT as a driver of National Transformation, cannot be over-emphasised.
Committee Chairman, Dr. Ndukwe had remarked that his Committee will work to carry out the task assigned to it speedily and with dedication. He promised they will proffer effective ways to achieve universal digital Inclusion in Nigeria by identifying and suggesting ways to eliminate obstacles. Stressing they will outline an Action Plan to take the issue of digital inclusion into mainstream development plans across all sectors.
For co-chair, Mr Ovia, the world has woken up to the importance of ICTs to development, insisting that ICTs will transform Nigeria, even as he assured the Committee will deliver on its mandate.
The Committee has three months to complete its assignment with Terms of Reference (ToR) consisting of:
1. Articulate acceptable definitions and perspectives of broadband and related issues that are current and dynamic for the country:
2. Evaluate and analyse the current position of broadband infrastructure and service delivery in the country, if possible define broadband served, unserved and underserved areas of the country and articulate an agenda for bridging the gap between the ‘’haves’’ and the ‘have-nots’ within the country and showcasing possible challenges.
3. Consider and articulate the funds requirement for the ubiquitous roll out of broadband in the country.
4. Consider and articulate other related and reasonably connected relevant plans and agenda that are incidental to broadband development in the country.
5. Expatiate and detail additional strategic and tactical approaches for reinventing the country as a broadband rich digital haven capable of supporting electronic and mobile architecture for commerce and trade, education, health, agriculture, citizens empowerment among others: capable of attracting internal and external investments for development.
6. Produce a comprehensive National Broadband Roadmap for Nigeria.
Obviously, the commitment of Mr. President to broadband must have paved the way for him to have sent a high-powered delegation to ITU Telecom World 2012 in Dubai, led by the Vice President, Namadi Sambo.
What remains now is to ensure that the three-month given to this committee that something really good is achieved in line with the global broadband commission of ITU.
Therefore, all hands must be on the deck to make this dream of achieving the target of a five-fold increase in broadband penetration by 2017, a reality, by putting whatever recommendations in this regard into practice eschewed of undue bureaucracy.
Remmy Nweke
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!
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