Ict/Telecom
Firm To Launch ‘Unity App’ In PH
A media organisation, Niger Delta Reporter Newspaper, has said plans are under way to launch its “Unity APP” in Port Harcourt in March.
The Publisher and Chief Executive of the outfit, Mr Felix Tolorunju Idowu, who made this known in a statement to Newsmen in Port Harcourt recently, siad the App would be a “one-stop technological platform that presents the rich cultural and historic socio-economic potentials of the Niger Delta Region comprising Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ondo, and Imo States”.
The statement assured that the App would be user friendly with rich content that covers politics and governance, corporate organizations, Governors of Niger Delta scorecards, NDDC and all spheres of life in the Niger Delta. It also hinted that a “Delta Carnival” will be organized.
“The Delta Carnival is a socio-cultural tourism event designed to unify and showcase the beauty of the entire region, to inspire a new generation of change agents, and to entrench the culture of peaceful coexistence for the sustainable development of the region that is presently contributing the most to Nigeria’s economy”, it stated.
The Tide learnt that the platform would also be used to draw the attention of the government to the region’s challenges which, as noted by the outfit, have transmuted beyond oil spillage and environmental pollutions to the loss of jobs and livelihood of the people of the region.
According to the statement, the app will also accord users access to socio-economic developments going on in the nine states that make up the Niger Delta region.
“It’s our utmost belief that the Unity App and the Carnival will open another vista of economic activities for the region, as we will be networking with countries that have distinguished themselves in carnival affairs.
“This Carnival will open the Niger Delta region to the great continents of the world, as we will use it to let investors know that our region is now a safe haven for investors against the backdrop of negative local and International press portraying the region in bad light”, it said.
The statement continued that the orgainisation was consulting with the nine states that constitute the region so that they can be fully involved in the Carnival and the Niger Delta Unity App initiatives.
“We have secured strong synergy with NDDC and Presidential Amnesty Program, Agencies and other Stakeholders in the Region”, it added.
Idowu also hinted in the statement that Rivers State, which has been chosen, will serve as a host and hub of the entire region, which includes its foreign delegates, who will also have access to the platform.
By: King Onunwor
Ict/Telecom
Nigeria Set To Host International Conference On Biotechnology
The Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof Abdullahi Mustapha, has disclosed that Nigeria will be hosting International Conference on Biotechnology in June.
Mustapha, who made the disclosure recently in an interview with The Tide’s source in Abuja, said the conference would take place in June, adding that the agency was determined to introduce new things for the benefit of Nigerians.
“That is why we are organising this international conference where people across the globe will showcase what they are doing in their various countries in biotechnology. NABDA will also showcase what we are doing and had been doing to engage all our people in the country”, he said.
According to him, the conference would offer a platform where industries, private organisations, universities and others would have the opportunity to showcase their works.
The Director-General said the conference would be tailored around environment, industry, agriculture, genomics and bioinformatics as well as health.
Mustapha disclosed that he had inaugurated a committee toward organising the conference, adding that it had started work.
“The Nigerian policy on biotechnology was prepared in 2000, and I have seen that its about time to effect a change.
“This is imperative because the world is moving fast from what was regarded as the norm to a certain level of precision and accuracy in terms of investigations and deliverables”, he added.
He continued that Nigeria could meet up with advanced countries’ biotechnology as it could boast of scientists and experts.
“Whatever document we are going to produce is going to look at Nigeria and its projects in the next five to 20 years. This policy is what will drive Nigeria’s biotechnology to success”, he said.
Ict/Telecom
Expert Tasks Female Journalists On Content Creation
A digital media expert, Mr. Chimodo Paul, has charged female journalists in Rivers State to generate good contents in order to carve a niche for themselves in journalism.
He gave the charge at a one-day capacity building workshop held last Thursday, at the NUJ Press Center, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
The workshop, tagged, “Maximizing New Media Platforms: Upscaling Digital, Entrepreneur Skills of Journalists”, was organised by the Step-up for Women in Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), with support from Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Rivers State Council.
Paul urged the women to upscale their digital skills in order to enable them improve their career prospects and earning potentials.
He expressed dismay that ego had prevented some veteran journalists from upscaling their digital skills, which, he said, had deprived them from reaching their full potentials and becoming visible in the present new media era.
He also urged those stucked in old fashion media to start maximizing the social media tools.
The women was further challenged to invest in themselves by acquiring good digital gadgets, subscribe to online trainings, sponsor their good contents on social media platforms.
“Most journalists do not know how to maximize the new media platforms yet. Ego and pride is not allowing them to learn digital tools. This is the major reason they are where they are and it’s not helping to build and improve professional competence in this new media era”, he said.
He insisted that journalists must identify the social media tools that aligns with their line of job and build presence on it to gain from opportunities that abound from such tools.
“Social media has made it easier for journalists to collaborate on stories with other journalists, photographers, and videographers. Collaborations can help journalists reach a wider audience, tell more complex stories”, he stated.
Ict/Telecom
Expert Wants Telcos To Prioritise Improved QoS
A Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Advisor, Mr. Jide Awe, has urged telecommunication operators to give priority to improving Quality of Services (QoS).
Awe, who is also the Founder of Jidaw.com, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Lagos State, recently.
He said it was necessary to improve the current poor QoS using strategic investment in infrastructure to support current and future needs.
Awe said the future needs included increased number of users and increased traffic volumes of transactions among others.
“Customer journey has evolved significantly over the years, largely influenced by the advancements in telecommunications technology.
“Customers now expect seamless and uninterrupted connectivity across multiple touchpoints, be it through their smartphones, laptops, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices”, he said.
Awe also noted that the telecoms industry was plagued with right-of-way charges, multiple taxation, and insecurity of telecoms infrastructure.
According to him, addressing these challenges is essential for consumer protection to ensure QoS standards are met, and that consumers receive the promised level of service quality.
The policy advisor added that solving the issues would also help in promoting affordable broadband services.
On the role of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) as a regulator, he said the NCC needed to adopt an innovative, supportive, and visionary regulation approach that appreciated the importance of innovation and expansion.
“As new technologies continue to emerge, regulation cannot afford to be static. NCC should inculcate a spirit of innovation and growth in the sector.
“Innovative regulation helps to cultivate an environment that attracts investment to propel sectoral growth. Investor-friendly initiatives, simplification of regulations, strategic and disruptive thinking/approaches are crucial”, he said.
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