News
NCC sets the pace in FG’s indigenous Tech Development Policy
Nasiru Yusuf
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given concrete expression to the Federal Government’s drive to promote indigenous innovative technologies in Nigeria’s telecommunication sector.
KANO FOCUS reports that NCC demonstrated this by organising the maiden prototype and research exposition aimed at showcasing no fewer than 10 prototypes, arising from its sponsored Telecommunications-Based Research Innovation Projects in the Nigerian universities.
At the event, which took place at the Commission’s Communications and Digital Economy Complex, Head Office Annex in Mbora District, Abuja, from 21–22, February 2022, the Commission selected 10 prototypes for exhibition as outputs of its telecom research project during the two-day event.
The top 10 prototypes include: Multiple operators’ enabled SIM, GSM communication-based walking cane robot, Powerline communications module, Home-grown electrical power charger, Low-cost GSM telephone system, Wireless power transfer device, Vital sign monitor, Plastic optical fibre cable, Wearable E-band tracker, and a Software-based nomadic base station.
The Commission is implementing the research and prototype exposition as a way of encouraging the commercializing of the prototypes, as an influential platform for universities, professionals and industry experts to come together, share information and build long-lasting business relationships.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, stated that, through the NCC’s telecoms-based research and prototype exposition, “the indigenous technological capabilities of Nigerians will be fully appreciated, harnessed, and utilised towards stimulating the overall productivity and sustainability of the telecommunications industry.”
Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami
Pantami emphasised that research is considered a necessary condition for the technological development of any nation and also regarded as the backbone of the communications industry, because it is the building block for the future development of advanced telecommunications products and services.
He tasked the mobile network operators (MNOs) to work with NCC to support indigenous technology development to solve national challenges in future.
The Minister commended the Commission’s Board and Management for facilitating the delivery of the lofty policy targets contained in the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content (NPPIC) 2021.
He also thanked the recipients of the Commission’s grants for the display of already developed prototypes for the knowledge of the industry stakeholders.
Speaking earlier, Chairman, NCC, Board of Commissioners, Prof. Adeolu Akande, declared that the Commission will continue to provide the enabling environment to bridge the gap in the significant tripartite relationship among the academia, industry, and the government.
Prof. Adeolu Akande,
He encouraged participants to support NCC’s initiative to succeed, as businesses will emerge, and sustainable jobs will be available for our young graduates on account of this new developments.
Also in his address, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of NCC, Prof .Umar Garba Danbatta, reinforced the Commission’s commitment to discharging its role as an active regulator to drive the indigenous content development component of the nation’s telecoms sector.
Prof .Umar Garba Danbatta
The EVC reiterated the significance of building the indigenous technological capacities of Nigerians through partnerships with relevant stakeholders.
“The Commission has awarded grants to successful academic institutions to develop Working Prototype and Telecommunications-led Products capable of addressing industry needs and providing overall sustainability, fully-developed and ready-for-the-first phase of market entry”, Danbatta stated.
The EVC asserted that “it is important to have a commercialisation strategy to transit from rudimentary research into the market to address the local challenges and reduce the over-dependence on imported innovations and technologies with the attendant drain on the nations scarce foreign exchange.
This is what this programme hopes to achieve to maximize the full potential of academia in contributing to the steady growth of the telecoms industry in Nigeria.”
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The staff of the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company have protested the sacking of the agency’s Managing Director, Najeeb Mahmoud Abdulsalam.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, had on Wednesday ordered the removal of heads of the FCT agencies and parastatals.
However, videos that emerged on Thursday night showed staff members of AUMTCO in tears, as they protested Abdulsalam’s removal.
The weeping protesters, who gathered around the sacked MD, are seen in a trending video chanting, “We want you back!”.
One of the protesters who shared the video on Twitter wrote, “#GovWike, Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company MD/CEO is just three months old in office and he has achieved what no past MD has ever dreamt or dare to achieve. It’ll be a loss on you sir and the entire #AUMTCO staff if you let him go. See us here protesting sir.”
A fellow of National Institute of Management, Abdussalam was Senior Special Assistant to Kano state Governor on students matters.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has appealed a Federal High Court judgement that ordered it to pay N30 billion as compensation to some traders for the demolition of their shops.
KANO FOCUS reports that a Federal High Court sitting in Kano and presided over by Justice Simon Anogede, had, while delivering judgement in the case filed by the Traders Association, said what the government did was barbaric and unconstitutional.
The court however awarded N30 billion as compensation to the traders, instead of the N250 billion they demanded from the government.
However, the Kano State government says it has appealed the judgement, which it described as miscarriage of justice.
Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, explained that the court was not right in awarding judgement to the Traders Association because the Land Use Act is clear on the position of lands in every state.
He insisted that the court lacked the jurisdiction to even listen to the case because government is the sole owner of land, according to the Land Use Act.
Headlines
ACReSAL plans to increase city parks to 50 in Kano, laments indiscriminate felling of trees
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), has said that it will increase city parks to 50 in Kano.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Project Coordinator Dr Dahiru Muhammad Hashim made this known while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Kano.
He said the project is planning to recover and restore lost landscapes arising from natural causes and human activities.
”We are committed to addressing the environmental challenges that affect the state such as climate change, drylands, erosion and flooding, land degradation, and issues that affect the livelihood of communities which is mainly agriculture.
”The ACReSAL project is anchored on four broad components that speak essentially to the demand of the poor whose livelihoods have been distressed,” he said.
Hashim also said that the ACReSAL project has drilled solar-powered boreholes and established tree nurseries in some local government areas of the state.
He said that the intervention would boost agriculture and improve the standard of living of the people while the tree nurseries would help to combat desertification and soil erosion.
He expressed the commitment of the state in improving and protecting the Kano environment with priority and attention to the sector on issues of biodiversity conservation and restoration of degraded lands.
“ACReSAL plans to undertake Erosion control work in Rarin, Dawakin Tofa and Bulbula/Gayawa, Nassarawa, and Ungogo Local government areas.
“Construction of water conservation structure and provision of minor irrigation facilities in ‘Yartiti, Shanono, and construction of water conservation structure and provision of minor irrigation facilities in Fajewa, Takai Local government area.
“Establishment of 100ha individual farmer orchards and Woodlot plantations, 200ha of woodlot in communal forests and institutional plantings.
“440ha farmer-managed natural regeneration of indigenous tree species on individual farmlands and communal forests and promotion of climate-smart agriculture through FLID and CRF among others,” he said
KANO FOCUS reports that the World Bank’s 700 million dollar ACReSAL project is being implemented in collaboration with the federal government and the 19 northern states and the FCT was recently officially launched in Bauchi by Gov. Bala Mohammed, thus becoming the first among the participating states to unveil the project implementation.
The ACreSAL project is embarked on by the Federal Government to build community resilience as well as improve the sustainable productivity of its natural resources in Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Plateau, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, and Kaduna.
These northern states including the FCT, the federal government said are faced by rapid desert encroachment ranging from severe to moderate and marginal.
Other incentives of the project are the strengthening of the environment for integrated climate-resilient landscape management, fighting issues surrounding desertification, drought, landscape degradation, and deprivation at community levels as well as resuscitating the sectors of agriculture, environment, and water resources.
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