Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu says his ministry is backing the Council of Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria) in its fight against quackery in the information technology (IT) industry.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 2017-2019 board of the Council of Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria), abbreviated as CPN, in Abuja, Adamu said the Federal Government was backing the body to purge the IT sector of all the abnormalities and irregularities in the industry.
“We are all aware of what a dynamic and progressive policy in information technology has done for many countries. With determination, commitment and professionalism, we can attain and surpass their records,” the minister said.
He stated that the Federal Government was not leaving anything to chances in its efforts towards making Nigeria a giant IT-compliant economy, adding that IT was a critical sector and a flagship for other professions.
The CPN is a body under the Ministry of Education that is responsible for regulating the practice of IT in Nigeria.
Allwell C. Achumba is the current registrar of the CPN. Achuma has been described as a seasoned professional with unquestionable integrity. He and Charles O. Uwadia, a professor, who is also the president/chairman-in-council, were instrumental in getting the minister of education to be personally present to inaugurate the 2017-2019 Council in September, despite the then strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to Adamu, establishment of the CPN was government’s own way of demonstrating its commitment to the development and deployment of IT in Nigeria, stressing that the conduct of government business today had become knowledge-intensive on account of the need for the deployment and application of ICT know-how towards the country’s economic growth and development.
He reminded members of the CPN that expectations of Nigerians on them were high, assuring them that the government would support them in their quest to realise set objectives.
“As a council, you are enjoined to come up with initiatives that will help government achieve these set objectives. You are enjoined to partner with government in ensuring that we turn out new generation of youths that are properly equipped with IT knowledge and skills and positioned for global competitiveness,” the minister added.
ODINAKA ANUDU
