By Emeka Aginam

Those who think that Nigeria will   not attain global competitiveness in the new economy will soon be disappointed as effort to achieve local content, broadband access, professionalism in governance, youth innovation; among others will start yielding the expected results.

Reasons; the Nigerian Computer Society, NCS, last week in Abuja visited the Ministry of Communications presenting ten points agenda that can help the new administration make its mark in the  present knowledge economy.

NCS is the umbrella body of all IT professionals and Interest groups in Nigeria.

Already, the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu during the courtesy visit assured the NCS delegation that he was ready to learn, listen and collaborate with the IT Professionals in all IT related issues that would bring development and growth to Nigeria through IT.

Although a number of industry issues were discussed with the Minister on pathway to digital economy, how best to develop and deploy IT tools and solutions to enable interception of criminals, terrorists and related communications top the agenda of the visit.

Earlier in his presentation, President of NCS Prof. Sola Aderoumu told the Minister that to fully pursue the administration’s goal of ensuring improved security for the nation and its citizens, IT in security must be placed high on the agenda.

The 10 point agenda for President Buhari

The NCS president among other things through the Communication Ministry prayed for the presidential endorsement and approval of the following ten points agenda.

*The establishment of the ‘Office of the Chief Information Technology Officer of the Federation’.

*Presidential endorsement and approval of the National Software Policy;

* Establish a National Information Technology Research Center (NITRC);

*Establish a National Software Engineering Institute(NSEI);

*Ensure that registered IT professional are appointed and represented in all Board of Federal Government, State and Local Government of Nigeria, at the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary in the spirit of CPN Act 49 of 1993;

*Establishment of IT parks using Public-Private-Partnership models

*Establishment of Digital Centres in all the 774 LGAs in collaboration with the State Governments.

*Ensure ownership of access devices at cheaper prices;

*Extend broadband access to the rural areas, and

*Work with relevant IT professionals to apply IT as a fundamental and veritable tool and indeed, the core accelerator for innovative government in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Minister earlier in his response assured the NCS President and his team that he was ready to learn, listen and collaborate with NCS in all IT related issues.

The Minister also told the NCS delegation that he welcomed Ideas that would bring development and growth to Nigeria through IT.

Broadband access

Calling for an urgent push for comprehensive broadband access all over the country, the NCS boss told the Minister that the fight against terrorist and related offenses may remain unabated unless IT tools like closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance were deployed across the nation.