Non-compliance of FG with Executive Orders hampering growth of local ICT- NCS

 

 

The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), has said that the Federal Government’s lack of compliance with Executive Orders 003 and 005 was greatly hampering on the growth of local Information and Communications Technology (ICT) firms in the country.

This was even as it announced the 14th International Conference of the NCS set to hold between July 16 -19, 2019, at the International Conference Centre, Gombe.

Speaking at a press conference, recently in Lagos, the President of NCS, Adesola Aderounmu, stated that the government has failed to give a 100 per cent compliance to the executive orders hence, affecting local content development of ICT companies.

According to Aderounmu, the only way to resolve unemployment crisis in Nigeria was through the use of ICT thus, the major reason the government should appreciate, support and provide an enabling business environment for local ICT firms to operate in and measure up to its foreign counterparts so as to, stop mass exodus of exceptionally brilliant indigenous ICT skills to other countries who will sell the same skills back to Nigeria at exorbitant rates and attendant capital flight.

He noted that the support for local content in public procurement by the federal government will definitely contribute in the creation of more jobs for the present and youthful population and this is integral to Nigeria’s economic revival.

“The pronouncement of Executive Orders 003 and 005 is a landmark achievement of our NCS advocacy that we have consistently pursued in the last decade.

“The two Executive Orders signed on May 18, 2017 expectedly changed some of the ways government business and operations are conducted in the country. However, we note with concern that the compliance with the orders is not 100 per cent and there are pertinent cases and issues we as a body need to highlight for the Federal Government to look into,’’ Aderounmu said.

He highlighted a disturbingly high level of disregard for contracts entered into with indigenous firms compared with the “high level of respect” accorded foreign counterparts.

Citing REMITA, a product of SystemSpecs, an indigenous ICT solution provider, as a case, he decried the government’s inability to fulfill its obligation of the agreement entered with SystemSpecs despite the services rendered to her through REMITA software.

He therefore, urged on them to pay SystemSpecs the total cost of all their services rendered to date.

Also, Aderounmu added that, there are several federal government projects in general and IT projects in particular that could resolve the unemployment crisis in Nigeria, if properly executed and one of such projects is the National Identity Management System (NIMS) project.

He commended the current administration for the integration of the National Identity Number (NIN) into the issuance and renewal of International Passports by the Nigeria Immigration Service, adding that such regulatory innovations will definitely result in economic growth.

The NCS President also appealed to the government to look into the

the cases and plights of some of its corporate members such as, Chams Plc (and Chams Consortium Ltd, (CCL), a forefront operator of the National Identity Management System Concession as well as Omatek group.

He said “NCS calls for urgent and decisive intervention to salvage Chams Plc’s position and allow Chams Plc and Chams Consortium Ltd reap the fruits of an amicable resolution freely entered into with the NIMC.

“It is on record that Chams made huge investments, in excess of N9bn, into the concession. Chams however suffered many frustrations which eventually snowballed into an unresolved state of affairs.

“It is in the light of the foregoing, NCS request that NIMC stand by and enforce the Terms of the Mediation Agreement dated 19th December, 2017 to enable Chams Plc execute assigned business opportunities under the NIMS project and hence regain stability towards restoring its Share Valuation which has suffered massive erosion consequence of the plight on the NIMC project.

“That NIMC, in line with Clause 3.1 of the Terms of Agreement collaborate with Chams Plc to provide adequate financial cushion and compensation to CCL for the funds invested into the project already by CCL.

“CCL has indicated its immediate willingness and ability to perform its own side of the Terms of Agreement. Under a conducive environment, CCL has indicated that it has the capacity and capability to enrol more than 50 million Nigerians annually and could, if well-empowered, issue the enrolees with National ID cards.

“To that end, CCL has engaged some international partners who are willing to support the Government in achieving these noble goals at record speed. It is our understanding that early resolution of this crisis will lead to creation of additional 1000 jobs for the youths through Information Technology,” he noted.

Further more, he urged the government to intervene in the matter between Omatek Group and Bank of Industry (BOI) and prevail on BOI to vacate court order, stressing that locking of the factory for over 24 months with goods worth billions of Naira is not in the best interest of any of the stakeholders.

He stated that Omatek is a major employer of Nigerian youth and at peak production, is capable of employing over 600 teeming youth both directly and indirectly thus, it should be allowed to reopen for business so as to be able to offset the loan it obtained.

He pleaded that the problem should be settled out of court as Omatek has indicated that it is open to settlement out of court.

To this end, Aderounmu stressed that the menace of unemployment would be history in Nigeria and the ICT roadmap of the federal government can only achieve set goals, when local IT companies are appreciated, respected for their innovation, intellectual property and pace setting accomplishments.