Patani, Aderounmu, Abubakar providing roadmap for sustainable digital Inclusion

Success Damian:

Governor Ajimobi of Oyo State  (l) receiving Digital Governor Award from Prof. Aderounmu, NCS President in Ibadan

The 27^th National Conference of the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS) which held recently at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, has come and gone, but the echoes and frills have continued to reverberate for sustainable Digital Inclusion.

Themed Digital Inclusion: Opportunities, Challenges and Strategies, the conference afforded stakeholders the platform to have in-depth discussions on such topics and sub-themes which include but not limited to Infrastructure and Disruptive Innovation: Connecting the Unconnected; Inclusive e-Government: Citizens, Poverty Eradication and Job Creation; A Smart and Digital Maritime Sector: Opportunities for Sustainable Growth and Overall Prosperity, among other highly impactful plenaries.

Engr. Aliyu Aziz Abubakar, Director General/CEO, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) spoke on Impact of Digital Technology/Inclusion, Barriers in terms of Digital Divide, Bridging the Digital Divide and Benefits of Digital Inclusion.

Abubakar stated that for understanding what Digital Inclusion means one would be looking at access to digital technologies, mobile phones, computers, tablets, the internet, a broadband connection, ability to make use of technologies, having basic digital skills, skills that empower individuals to adapt and exploit technology.

Abubakar said access to the Internet is currently unevenly distributed amongst the Nigerian population, adding that older people are less likely to be Internet users than younger people.

In understanding Digital Inclusion he said “We are living through one of the greatest inflexion points in history, largest forces acting on the planet: Technology; Globalization; and Climate Change, all accelerating at once; these are reshaping many aspects of the society, workplace and geopolitics.”

He said digital inclusion has facilitated improved  Economic tools; Multimedia Communication which has improved efficiency, transforming service delivery and in Education, e-learning, global knowledge is available locally; digital skills are acquired very early which include coding in primary school, basic engineering and statistics in secondary schools; and in Health, he said there is Tele-medicine which is delivering health solutions to remote areas in cost- effective way.

On Barriers to Digital Inclusion, he said the term ‘Digital Divide’ include patterns of unequal access to ICT based on income, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and geography that surfaced during the mid-1990s when the Internet made steady progress

Speaking on the nexus between Digital Inclusion and work of his agency he said, “Identity is a requisite for a country’s economic, social and political progress and development. Good identification works hand-in-hand with greater use of Internet, payments and skills for a vibrant digital economy. NIMC offers digital identification through the enrollment & issuance of a unique identifier called National Identification Number (NIN),” Abubakar said.

Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said the whole idea about digital inclusion is to make ICT available to people and give them the skill to utilize it, adding that “All the policy standards of NITDA and interventions are  geared towards digital inclusion especially on wide area network which has been provided to higher institutions, virtual library to higher institutions, capacity building and knowledge building centres, computer job creation, all of them are part of digital inclusion, it is all about providing facilities and the skills, to operate.”

Aside the discussion on digital inclusion Pantami used the opportunity to intimate the audience that the agency is collaborating with some universities to introduce ICT law as a course in Nigerian Universities starting from Master degree programme up to PhD level.

“Because of the fact that we do not have a course of ICT law in our universities in Nigeria and all regulatory agencies in Nigeria require ICT lawyers to come. If you look critically the mandate of NITDA, it centres around two fundamental issues, One IT development, two IT Regulation.

“IT development you always develop IT using IT professionals, computer Scientists, Computer Engineers and many more. They are IT professionals, while you regulate the sector, by deploying ICT lawyers, if you have IT lawyers around, then you can regulate the sector, so that is why we introduce ICT as a course in our universities, so that the country can produce many people who can regulate the sector and write many legal documents, on behalf of the sector, set standards, guideline, framework, and even policies, for ICT adoption, deployment and usage all over the country,” Pantami stated.

Prof. Adesola Aderounmu, NCS President stated that the group as the umbrella body of all IT Professionals, Interest Groups and Stakeholders in Nigeria, the Nigeria Computer Society keeps utilizing the platform of the annual National Conferences to advance the science, practice and propagation of ICT for the wholesome development of society.

The President said while IT deployment and development in our country continue to gain traction, experiences and benefits of IT and the Internet have not been as widespread as they should be, adding that the consequence is that women, individuals living with disabilities, young people, the poor and the rural populace have become extensively digitally excluded.

Challenging the participants, Aderounmu said “As Nigeria lags behind the rest of the world in digital inclusion, it is our professional challenge in this conference to share ideas and insights, identify knowledge gaps, proffer solutions and instigate collaborative efforts to quicken the pace of digital inclusion forward for our country.”

Calling on government for workable ICT policy he said “Government should quickly formulate ICT policy that will incorporate digital inclusion as a pivotal factor for driving our social economic and political development. The new policy should cover ICT infrastructure, broadband internet, fibre optic communication, local content prioritization and regulatory framework.”

He disclosed this year’s conference theme is in line with the Communique of the NCS’ 2017 conference, adding “When the nation is able to set the proper digital inclusion agenda that the government can adopt and run with, it will significantly improve healthcare, poverty reduction, job creation, education, governance, food security and social harmony in the society.”

The Conferences Committee Chairman, Jide Awe in his welcome address, lent his voice to the call for digital inclusion when he said, ‘Benefits of digital technologies are not evenly distributed. Concerns and causes are multi-dimensional. Exclusion is costly where many lack access to digital infrastructure and the benefits it offers due to affordability and other issues.” He said Inclusion remained the cornerstone for successful digital development.

NURHI advocates multi-target approach for RH reportage

Issues surrounding Reproductive Health which include, but not restricted to Myths, Misconceptions and Barriers especially concerning the adolescents and youths were brought to the fore at a meeting organized by Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) to sensitize Journalists on Strategic Approaches to Family Planning for Adolescents and Youths reportage which held at AHI Hall, Jibowu, Lagos, SUCCESS DAMIAN reports:

The NURHI organised sensitization workshop was designed to equip Journalists as information disseminators on the best strategy to inform and educate the public on issues of Reproductive health.

Much of the discussion which centered on Media Strategic Approaches in Promoting Adolescent and Youths Reproductive Health/ Life Planning for Adolescents and Youths (AYSRH/LPAY); also has discussions around the right content, language, and ensuring a balanced reproductive health system reportage.

Speaking on Media Strategic Approaches in Promoting AYSRH/LPAY, DEVCOMS Program Director, Mr Akin Jimoh said the major objective of the topic is to help understand the strategic role of the media in safeguarding the life of the Nigerian adolescents and youths in relation to their sexual behaviours; help understand the media consumption patterns of the Nigerian youths and adolescents vis a vis reproductive health; suggest strategic media engagement framework for influencing positive sexual behaviours for the youths and adolescents for better lives; discuss some tactical media approaches to preventing consequences of unbeneficial sexual behaviours and engage the partnership of the media to support LPAY and influence policies.

In his words, “The Role of the media include raising awareness about LPAY, Inform listeners, readers and viewers about steps they can take to protect themselves and others Serve as source of accurate LPAY information for young people; Mobilise stakeholders to play their parts in promoting LPAY, regularly generate discussions on LPAY for young people, access to quality Life Planning information and services is about reaching their maximum life potentials and adding value to the society.”

Jimoh also stated that Life Planning for Adolescents and Youths (LPAY) is a program designed to enable young people ages 15-24 to become informed and actively make responsible and healthy choices in matters related to their reproductive health.

This, according to him is because they are confronted by their sexuality which is in full bloom, largely in search for clear sexual identity, though having limited or no guided supply of knowledge or information about their sexuality.

He said they generally require guidance on sexual issues; need the appropriate media perspectives on reproductive health.

Continuing on the youths and adolescents he said “There is a correlation between the stage of our national development and the state of Nigerian youths, there is so much democracy and self-help technology, with large percentage of them being affected by unemployment, faulty education system and poverty. They are also largely influenced by new media and continuous reinforcement of risky sexual habits by the environment.”

Jimoh said adolescents in Nigeria generally have low levels of contraceptive use which in turn result in unplanned pregnancy and the high rate of abortions (Guttmatcher, 2001 via NURHI), adding that there is very limited media space for health generally, very little on reproductive health, and that Information shared by the media on RH is sometimes complex, while Capacity of traditional media diminishes for economic reasons.

Jimoh added that there is need for a multi target approach that target both the parents and the youth.

“It is therefore more urgent now than ever to upheld, support and promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and youth especially girls so that they will not continue to lose their lives needlessly,” he said.

Speaking on subtopics which include Introduction to Planning for Adolescent, who are Adolescents and why life planning, frequently asked questions about Life Planning for Adolescent and Youths (LPAY), barriers to adolescents and youth contraception; Youth Programme Officer, Agani Bless-me Oluwatobilola, said Journalist has great role to play in education and dissemination of information on reproductive health system especially as it concerns the youths and adolescents.

Describing adolescence as a period of transition between childhood and adulthood which requires special attention and protection, Owuwatobilola said “It is a period in which 'although no longer considered a child, the young person is not considered an adult either’. It is a period of social, economic, physiological and psychological development; a period of stress, experimentation and disorganization, a period of opportunities, risk and vulnerabilities.

She said there is minimal flow of information on RH/FP to young persons from the traditional media while religious leaders promote mainly abstinence for unmarried youth.

Community structure tends to be biased towards unmarried and sexually active youth.

Nigerian Content to reach 70% in 10yrs, NCDM

Success Damian:

Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has stated that efforts are in the pipeline to grow Nigerian Content in the gas and oil industry from its present 27% to 70^% in 10 years.

The board made the disclosure during a Capacity Building 

Workshop for the Media which held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Monday.

Director of Finance and Personnel Management of the board, Isaac Iyalah presenting a paper titled, Overview on NCDMB, its mandate, history, mission and strategic relevance to the development of the nation’s oil and gas industry also stated that $200 million Fund which is managed by the Bank of Industry is to boost local content in the oil and gas industry.

Iyalah also added that through the local content policy managed by the board there has been an upsurge in indigenous participation in the oil and gas leading to Nigerian firms now owning 34% of Marine Vessels in the industry.

Speaking also on the vision and mission of NCDMB, Iyala said, “The Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, was established by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICD) of 2010. The vision of which was to act as catalyst for the industrialization of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry and its linkage Sectors”

He spoke further that “The mission was to promote the development and utilization of the in-country capacities for the industrialization of Nigeria through the effective implementation of the Nigerian Content Act.”

Key Trust of the NOGICD Act that created NCDMB among others was to integrate oil producing communities into the oil and gas value chain, foster institutional collaboration, maximize participation of Nigerians in the oil and gas activities, Link oil and gas sector to other sectors of the economy, maximize utilization of Nigerian resources and attract investments to the Nigeria Oil and gas sector which include service providers, equipment supplies.

He said part of the functions of NCDMB include to review, access and approve Nigerian Content plans developed by Operators; set guidelines and minimum content levels for project related activities across the oil and gas value chain; engage in targeted capacity building interventions that would deepen indigenous capabilities, human capital development, infrastructure and facilities, manufactured materials and local supplier development; among others.

General Manager, Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF), Obinna Ofili who spoke on the paper titled “Introduction to the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCIF), Providing an Understanding of the Objective of the Fund, the Procedures for Accessing it and Target Businesses, said the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI) Fund is a pool of funds made available by the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to be managed by the Bank of Industry to meet the funding needs of Indigenous manufactures, service providers and other key players in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry.

He stated that “it is sourced from the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) created by section 104 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Content Development (NOGICD) Act).”

According to the NOGICD Act companies are mandated to pay 1 per cent of any contract which has been concluded in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

Part of reason for the creation of NCI, he said was to reengineer the operations of the NCDF, increase access to funding and grow indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry; to increase access to NCDF; to provide single digit interest loan and enhance competitiveness of indigenous companiesservicing the oil and gas industry.

Ofili said the fund is accessible to contractors as well as community contractors of any of the oil producing communities.

He also explained available types of funding under the NCI Fund which include Manufacturing loan; Asset Acquisition, Contract Finance, Community contract finance scheme and Loan-Re-financing, adding that $10 million remains the maximum amount accessible by an applicant under the manufacturing and Asset acquisition loans. He stated that while Contract Finance loan is $5million and Community contract finance scheme N20million, Loan Re-financing is $2million.

Ofili stated that no applications for two different loans can running simultaneously.

While stating that the tenure for all the available loans under the NCI Fund is 5 years maximum, he added that the Fund attracts 8% interest with exception of the community contract finance scheme which attracts 5%.

Other papers that featured at the workshop include Strategies and Techniques for Effective Media Coverage of the Energy Sector in Nigeria: The NCFI Dimension which was delivered by Visiting Member of the Editorial Board of Businessday and Adjunct Faculty School of Media & Communications, Pan Atlantic University, Chido Nwakanma.

Current Trends & New Themes in Energy and Business Reporting was delivered by Austin Nweze of School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University.