Dr Ernest Ndukwe, a former Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, on Friday urged governments to create more awareness on broadband and ensure that local communities were connected to it.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!”If broadband is an enabler of sustainable development and economic prosperity, then, having all communities connected, no matter how remote, should be the goal of every government today,’’ Ndukwe said in Lagos.
Ndukwe, the Chairman of Open Media Group, Lagos, spoke at the 5th West African Information and Communications Technology (WAFICT) Congress and Exhibition.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the congress had the theme ”Bringing Digital Dividends to West Africa: Tackling the Challenges Posed by Legal and Regulatory Frameworks”.
Ndukwe said that awareness on broadband was still poor in Nigeria, regretting that even some public servants were not aware of it.
According to him, broadband is high speed Internet, which allows people to do anything from anywhere.
”After access and affordability, potential adopters of broadband must be able to relate to the economic, social and political advantages of adopting broadband services.
”Indeed, many people have not heard of broadband, let alone use it. There is, therefore, the need for large scale awareness creation, digital literacy initiatives and basic education,” he said.
Ndukwe said that broadband connection was a basic human right and not what only few people should have access to.
He said that penetration of high speed broadband internet had remained low in the country, with concentration only in urban areas.
According to him, the Federal Government is to ensure broadband access to all by constituting the Broadband Commission.
”Providing access to affordable broadband is only one aspect of the story. There is also the need for content that is relevant, attractive and useful to the adopters.
”Broadband lets people do jobs from anywhere, study from anywhere, socially interact from anywhere and buy and sell anything from anywhere in the world.
Mr Olusola Teniola, the Chief Executive Officer of IS Internet Solutions, urged formulation of appropriate policies that would promote broadband penetration in the hinterlands.
Teniola said that the Federal Government should provide incentives for broadband service providers to facilitate extension of high speed internet to local communities. (NAN)