Anthony Nwakaegho/DigitalSENSE Business News
For playing down on
local content development envisioned by the Federal Government to drive
technology development, Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
stakeholders have berated the efforts of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State in the conception and execution of an
Information Technology (IT) project for secondary schools in the state.
DigitalSENSE Business News recalls that Aregbesola had partnered a Chinese technology firm to
produce copies of digital tablet known as 'Opon Imo' per-loaded with secondary
schools' subjects and past questions from the West African School Certificate
(WAEC), for teaching and learning in secondary schools across the state.
The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson had lauded the
governor for the project but expressed her reservation that it lacked local
content development since all its components were foreign made.
DigitalSENSE Business News recorded that the governor had admitted that 50,000 pieces of the device
were imported from China, and posited that the remaining 100, 000 pieces would
be developed in Nigeria by RLG Communications that has mobile phone
manufacturing plant in Osun State.
A Lagos based IT
analyst, Durojaiye Onibudo,in a chat with news men has argued that
the action of the governor negates the
local content development initiative
as the governor defaulted by
contracting 50,000 pieces to a foreign company in China and did the same by contracting the balance of
100, 000 to another foreign company, even though it has a base in Nigeria.
“The Opon-Imo initiative is commendable, but
government failed to follow through with the goal for local content. How can
Osun State fail to form partner with Nigerian local manufacturers of computers
and application providers? Why China and why RLG Communications when the
country boasts of bigger and stronger players? Why did the Osun State not open
the entire process to competitive and transparent bid?" Onibudo lamented.
DigitalSENSE Business News recounts that the National
Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the government agency
responsible for Information Technology (IT) implementation in the country, had
urged government at all levels to join in the made-in-Nigeria campaign, by
promoting local content in the ICT sector.
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!
pix:Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State
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