Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) is asking the Federal Government to approve the pending National Software Policy (NSP) in order to further develop Information Technology (IT) in the country.
According to a statement signed by Adesola Aderounmu, president, NCS, the blueprint for the National Software Policy is aimed at providing a strategic roadmap to make the country competitive in the area of software engineering.
It noted that the implementation of the policy would assist the country to have a digital knowledge development and implement e-government strategies as an imperative for corruption-free, equitable, productive and knowledge-based society.
The statement said that the society was committed to partnering government to build a comprehensive, prosperous and digitally enabled nation.
It advised that government should give the use of registered local IT professionals and companies, priority in executing IT jobs, noting that “there should be a deliberate focus on youth innovation to generate massive employment for millions of youths through riding on the start-up boom in the country.’’
Talking about NCS’s call for the approval of the NSP, Adebayo Banjo, former president of Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), told BusinessDay in a telephone interview that, “the concept is good. However, what are the criteria for registration of the so-called registered local IT professionals?”
Banjo said there was no need for registration, as “a programmers work should speak for itself. A fraudulent person can also register.”
It was written in the NCS statement that the government ought to mandate NCS in collaboration with National Information Technology Development Agency to supervise all IT projects.
