Ex-NCS presidents urge new execs on IT policy, local content

Former presidents, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), have advised the incoming National Executive Council (NEC) of the Society to step up campaign on Information Technology (IT) Policy advocacy and local content development.

They say these are key to the growth of the computing profession as well as  national development.

They gave the advice during the official handing over to the new NEC in Lagos, on Wednesday following the group’s successful election at its 2019 International Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Gombe State last month.

Speaking on behalf of other ex-presidents such as Alhaji Ladi Ogunye, Dr. Chris Nwannenna and Prof. Charles Uwadia, immediate past president, Prof Adesola Aderounmu, who handed over to Prof. Adesina Simon Sodiya, stressed the need for full advocacy on IT policy  and implementation by the government.

He said: “The new NEC should be able to engage government in the right IT policy implementation that will help the country to grow, especially in the area of local content policy implementation.

“Local content policy implementation is key and if we do not get it right, there will be a lot of challenges for the country.

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“We started advocacy in the area of local content during my two terms of four years but not much was achieved in the area of local content development and implementation. We need the right IT policy that will drive local content in the country. By local content, I mean indigenous software. If we are encouraged to develop local content in the area of software development, it will go a long way to boost employment in the country.”

He said the new INEC of NCS also needed to focus on incubation centres that will provide the enabling environment, which will address the challenge of using IT to address national issues.

“In the last three years, we have added over 2,500 members to NCS and I want the new INEC to continue in the membership drive, Aderounmu,” he added.

Alhaji  Ogunye, Dr.  Nwannenna and Prof.  Uwadia, stressed the need for collaboration and use of technology to drive processes such as meetings and elections.

Responding, Prof Sodiya promised to go beyond the advice. He also promised to carry out advocacy on the need for government agencies to drive governance with IT.

“We have identified some government agencies that are not IT complaint and we are ready to take them up on IT governance.

“I work in an academic environment, a university to be precise, and every five years, government brings asset declaration forms for us to fill and we kept filling the same form. If government is serious about fighting corruption, then it should automate most of its processes especially the assert declaration form filling.

“We cannot develop as a nation if government processes are not automated, and to achieve this, government must deploy IT in governance to boost efficiency and productivity.

“At NCS, we will ensure we give direction to government and also ensure that proper implementation is carried out in the area of using IT to drive governance.

“IT Policy implementation is key to us as a nation and we have committees addressing the issue and one of them is the ICT4Development Committee.

“With the committee, we intend to put together a roadmap for IT adoption and development in Nigeria. NITDA is doing a lot in IT policy implementation and we will continue to assist in ensuring that the right IT Policy is formulated and implemented.”