ICT Redefining The Way We Live, Work In 2020

The year 2020 was one of the most memorable ones in the evolution of the Information and Technology world. It came with a lot of challenges ranging from poor network provision to increment in recharge card and data subscription.
Another interesting cum stressful aspect of the development was the issue of Virtual and online classes operated by both private and Government Schools in the country. This was as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic to enable students enjoy learning from there homes.
Many viewed the development as foreign and tasking, because it came unexpectedly. Both parents and students alike, did not find it easy due to its high financial involvement.
For instance, for a student to partake in the virtual class, he/she is meant to be a proud owner of a Smart Cell Phone or Lab Top Computer. Following the Lock Down occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, the cash to pursue such giant and noble project was almost non-existent.
This caused a lot of panic and tension in the education sector. For instance, the current Bar II students queried the virtual training as designed by the Council of Legal Education, on the grounds that, their training ought to be interactive as earlier designed by the same  Council of Legal Education.
The Council of Legal Education capitulated to a point in that the Bar final examination re-scheduled to hold in 2021, instead of August or September 2020. This also, forced many private schools out of business as most of them lost their students to the schools with up-to-date  in ICT class.
It also revealed how far the country is in ICT and virtual training and preparedness. Many including high profile individuals kicked against it, in that it exposed their weaknesses.
Online Trading: Going by its electronic nature, many young persons were attracted to it. Many of them became online business tycoons overnight.
Forex Trading and Sports gaming is the most attractive. About 90 percent of young people who own Smart Phones are proud clients or customers to the online sports gaming. Much to the chagrin of Workost social commentator, no such gaming facility was destroyed during the #End SAS Protest in the year under review.
This was a strong signal to prove the level of commitment of your people in online gaming and other transactions. To most of them, it should be improved or developed by the government so as to accommodate more people especially the young ones.
It was not also a flawless adventure. Many suspected fraudulent transactions was traced to online trading. According to an official report by the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI), about 167 suspected internet fraud sters were arrested in 2019, while over 100 were arrested by various security agencies in 2020.
To many market and internet watchers, online business transaction has become the most ‘suitable way’ to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. This happened repeatedly during festive periods taking a leaf  from the era of MMM and the present alleged failure or suspension of customers’ benefits by the MBA Forex Management in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
Some of the customers to the online business operator ( MBA Forex), could not make it to their homes due to the sudden shock they received from the management of the scheme. Most of them have vowed never to reinvest in the scheme, should its drivers return back to business as promised.
Security: Operators in this sector have said that the success recorded so far was courtesy of the birth of the Information and Technology Development. A top ranked Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC), pointed out vividly that its success story would be incomplete without the inclusion or reference to the ICT development.
One of such success stories of the security agencies attributed to ICT was the arrest of a notorious serial killer, Gracious David-West who specialised in strangulating young ladies in parts of Port Harcourt. The officer was of the view that without the aid of the report of the video footage of the Cable Circuit Television (CCTV), that the arrest of such high profile criminal would not have been possible.
There are pockets of such success story both to the advantage and disadvantage of the security operatives like that of the Lekki shooting by suspected Security men during the #EndSARS Protest by Nigeria Youths which was believed to have been hijacked by suspected hoodlums.
Many observers in the industry believed that no one would have dared to accuse the Military, if the video footage of that deadly shooting was not recorded.
The fear of the power of the ICT world, according to pundits, led to the removal or disconnecting of the CCTV mounted at the Lekki Toll Gate. This and many more was how the ICT played a significant role in policing during the year under review.
ICT Development In Rivers state: The state under the watch of Governor Nyesom Wike had enjoyed several benefits during the year under review. During the job application for 5000 job seekers as announced by the state Government, its original plans of analogue application was suspended for online application.
This alone, forstalled a lot of negative developments which would have resulted as a result of the manual submission, if it continued. The online system also aided for easy and quick processing of the said application and other logistics associated with it.
The Governor’s directives did not only quicken the process, but also addressed some fraudulent activities which would have been executed by some criminals in the system. It further gave hope to some applicants who were afraid of favouritism by some big weights in the state.
Telecommunications: This sector was part of the challenges the country faced in the year under review. Most subscribers were fed up with their mode of operations. Part of their agonies was poor service with exorbitant charges.
All Network Providers in the Country had failed in  the eye of the subscribers due to their inability to provide quality service for subscribers. They expressed regrets that they receive less than what they bargain for.
To subscribers in the state, the operational license of all the Network providers should either be seized or reviewed for proper regulations in order to put them back on track.
Last on ICT development was that Cable Televisions like GOTV, DSTV and others. While they smile to the banks on daily basis, their subscribers lamented over poor service delivery.
Subscribers pointed out that the operators are only interested in their profits without paying adequate attention to its customs. This they argued, must stop.
2020 could be said to be the most innovative year in the ICT cum Telecommunications industries. This year witnessed the introduction of zoom meetings and other forms of electronic meetings in an attempt to reduce the spread of Corona virus Pandemic which birthed these virtual innovations of online transactions including that of e-court filing processes.

By: King Onunwor