From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The umbrella body of Information Technology (IT) professionals in the country, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has urged the National Assembly’s upper and lower chambers to immediately rescind the bill that would amend the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Act 2007 that is currently before them.
The association claims that the NITDA 2022 bill lacks input from stakeholders, has various flaws, and requires thorough review, warning that hastily approving it could be injurious to the nation’s IT sector and economy as a whole.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja over the weekend, NCS President, Prof. Adesina Sodiya said: “IT is important to all of us. IT will assist in moving this nation forward. Full adoption of IT is what we need as a nation to get to the level where we can also beat our chest. But if we do not get it right this time, we will be moving backwards in so many steps.”
According to him, the bill proposes that the Director General of NITDA does not have to be an IT professional, reduction of IT experts on the board of NITDA from four to one and for the Agency to start performing regulatory roles as well as registration of IT professionals in the country, among others.
“You can see that that is also the function of an existing organisation. That is the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria. Which the Act gave powers to regulate the practice of IT In Nigerian and to register individuals, corporate organisations practicing IT in this country.
“If you look at it very well, NITDA is even taking some of the functions of agencies of government in the same ministry with them.
“So, from a comprehensive analysis that we did, we have number of concerns.
“Before we saw that proposal, we were even planning to push for more professionals to be on the board of NITDA. But, what we are seeing from the Federal Ministry of Communications and NITDA is to even reduce or rubbish professionals in NITDA.
“IT is a professional discipline. Very specific discipline. If you are not an expert in IT, there is no way you can monitor activities in that space. So we want to use this opportunity, to further appeal to the Minister, and the DG of NITDA that for the sake of posterity, they should ensure that that bill does not go. Give us time to send it back to the IT community to allow us to have proper review of the bill.
“In the same way, we want to call the attention of the Senate President Lawan, that he should do everything possible. He should not be coerced or lobbied, together with the Speaker of the House, they should for the interest of this nation, ensure that this bill is not passed hurriedly. Because if they are planning to pass any bill within the next few weeks, it is indeed a caricature bill.” Sodiya stated.