By Emmanuel Elebeke
Following the appointment of Mr. Peter Egbe Igho as chairman, Dr. Eugene Juwah as Executive Vice-Chairman, Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, Executive Commissioner and Mr. Mohammed Bintube as Commissioner for the Nigerian Communications Commission by the Federal Government last week, the Association of Telecommunication Association of Nigeria (ATCON) has joined its voice in commending the federal government for the appoints,  describing it as a good omen for the country.

In a statement by the association president, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu and Secretary,  David Roberts, the group described Dr. Eugene Juwah, the new Executive Vice-Chairman, as a well known player in the telecom industry and one whose pedigree they have reason to endorse. They therefore, congratulated and welcome them to his new position. They described the unfortunate circumstances that trailed their early screening by the Senate committee as embarrassing and commended the leadership of the Senate for the quick intervention.

The body however, pledged its readiness  to work with the new leadership of NCC by proatively offering advice, communicating very openly and being their window as they take the  industry through the very challenging days ahead. The ATCON leaders also used the medium to advise all players of the  industry, and indeed all members of the Association to disregard the just ended uneasy vacuum, promising to pull resources together to forge ahead.

Apart from corruption and poor electricity in the country, the statement pointed out other challenges militating against the growth of the industry.  They include:  Dearth of skills, managerial and technical, access to funding and enjoined all stakeholders to join forces with the  Association’s plans to engage them head-on.

They urged  those whose firms are registered as telecommunications companies to come up and  sign up the agreement  with our Association’s strategic plans, saying that they would  engage tact and technology to confront these problems one after the other.

Those who run telecommunication firms are not necessarily patriots but driven by the profit motive and consumer advocates are better admonished to avoid presenting our market as one where only failed companies are the desires of the consumers. They also urged the media to reappraise its role as  watchdog of the society, which  it has always played and to work more on helping the industry to grow.

“We are consoled by the fact that from each of all the above groups have emerged several players who have been models for all human assemblies anywhere in the world,” said the statement.

Meanwhile,  ATCON, ISPON and  ITAN have announced plans to build a partnership for the growth of the industry. The synergy and partnership by the three  professional and trade associations in Nigeria  is expected to  construct  the emerging Nigerian ICT industry faster and better.

According to them, President of Information Technology Association of Nigeria, ITAN,  Dr. Jimson Olufuye said that his association and those of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON, and Association of  elecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON will soon sign the  partnership agreement which will enable them to compare notes, share a common voice for the ICT Industry and work together for the interest of the industry especially whenever any of the parties makes any intervention to public administration.