Death of Software Encoders Worry NCC boss
Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications
Commission, (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, has lamented the dearth of software encoders
in Nigerian.
To redress the situation, Juwah has requested the National Office for Technology Acquisition and
Promotion (NOTAP) to step in and urgently seek ways to boost local software development.
Juwah made this appeal while speaking during a courtesy visit by Director General of NOTAP, Dr.
Umar B. Bindir, to NCC headquarters in Abuja.
The EVC regretted
the current trend whereby there is growing number of experts in the data base management without a corresponding increase of people with expertise in the area of encoding. this development, he noted, is detrimental to the balanced
growth of the industry.
The NCC boss also appraised the performance of NOTAP in the
implementation of its mandate and how it has striven to expand its base for the
benefit of the nation and praised its management for it patriotic efforts.
He noted that the NCC is not fully involved in the issue of
research and analysis of softwares but is focused on the assessment of
reasonableness of the pricing of the softwares used in the telecommunications
industry but said the Commission will support awareness building efforts of the agency.
He said the current responsibilities of the Commission in the
area of reasonableness of pricing became necessary to ensure that softwares
used in the telecoms industry are not overpriced, and that this assessment
affects intangible services like Internet access, and are usually compared with
international benchmarks. He said the NCC performs this responsibility with the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and that because of the huge growth of the telecoms
industry, it has become like a routine job with a dedicated desk at the NCC.
Dr. Juwah also informed the NOTAP team that in NCC’s dealings
with the telecoms companies, it treats them with respect as credible companies
with internationally corporate governance principles and do not expect them to
cheat in their submission.
“Since their accounts are audited by reputable international
firms, we have no doubts that they do not cheat,” he said.
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