By Emeka Aginam

As over 200 scramble to meet requirements for registration as IT professionals ahead of the IT professionals assembly in two weeks time, it may not be business as usual again for quacks practising in the industry.

The IT Assembly which is the flagship of all IT programmes in Nigeria, is an exclusive networking event for senior Information Technology (IT) decision makers, IT consultants, upcoming IT entrepreneurs, start–ups, IT practitioners, teachers and IT Systems administrators.

Mr. Kayode Shobajo, Council Member/ Chairman of the organising committee and CEO of Hiit, Mr. Sikiru Shehu, the Registrar/Secretary to Council of CPN, and Mr. Kole Jagun, a member of the 2011 IT Professionals Assembly/AGM organising committee at the press conference last week to announce 2011 IT Assembly.

The Registrar/ Secretary to the Council of CPN, Mr. Sikiru Shehu who addressed IT journalists at the weekend ahead of its IT professional assembly/ Annual General Meeting slated this month in Abuja disclosed that enforcement would be carried in full force at the end of the month after the formal presentation of instrument of control and enforcement are passed into law by the IT body.

“The Act 49 of 1993, referred to above, makes it mandatory for all persons and organizations seeking to engage, or engaged in the sale or use of computing facilities and the provision of professional services in computing as well as the use of computational machinery and techniques related thereto to be registered by the Council and licensed to carry out such activities.

“ It is illegal to engage in computing and professional practice without satisfying the above condition- registration and possession of a current valid licence.

“We will carry out enforcement at the end of the month. We will swing into action once instrument of enforcement is approved. This will take effect after the formal presentation of the Scale of Professional Charges and the Control & Supervisory Regulations for the Information Technology (IT) profession at the IT Assembly after which we will go into action.

“Unfortunately, the IT industry is still an open market. We have a lot quacks in the IT profession. We are moving forward to stamp out quacks. You cannot bid ay IT work in the country unless you are a registered member of CPN. All heads of Units in the government agencies or parastatals must be registered by CPN. We have written to government agencies

“People need to register with CPN before they can practice otherwise they will face necessary sanctions. We cannot continue with quacks in the industry. We will go tough with quacks henceforth.

“We will close down any training institutions that fail to meet requirement for registration. You cannot register your company as an IT firm with Cooperate Affairs Commission without registering with CPN. It is now compulsory to be registered member of CPN before you can engage in procurement process. With procurement act, anybody doing business must be dully registered member of CPN” Shehu said.

The registrar who disclosed that there has been heavy traffic on expression of interest regarding registration said that meeting the requirements for registration has been the challenge of people and organizations.

“We have been getting expression of interest for registration but the challenge has been wit meeting up with registration requirements which are spelt out by CPN Decree No. 49 of 1993. Many of them are interested to register but the issue is meeting basic requirements” he said.