Zakariyya Adaramola
31 December 2007
Lagos — The Hon. Minister of Science and Technology, Chief (Mrs ) Grace Ekpiwhre has called on every Nigerian to try and own at least a computer in order to compete favourably in the fast growing information age.
Mrs. Ekpiwhre, who made the call last week while on a working visit to Omatek Computers Nigeria as part of her tour of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) in the country, expressed great delight at what she saw at Computers brand factory in Lagos.
According to her, the tour was an eye opener as it afforded her the opportunity to see first hand a completely knocked Down factory ( CKD) that is not different from what she had seen in Asia, adding that she was happy she accepted the invitation for the tour.
She affirmed that there was vast opportunity for Small and Medium Enterprises to Spring up after seeing operating capacity of the Omatek factory. She commended the Omatek boss for creating a lot of job opportunity for the Nigerian youths and also for her effort at transferring technology to young Nigerians.
Mrs Ekpiwhre reiterated the need for all Nigerians to own their Personal Computers by taking advantage of the Global Computer Consumer Initiative launched by the federal Government (CANI).
She commended Omatek for aligning their existing Computer Consumer scheme called e-Xpress wih the Federal Initiative. Omatek e-Xpress computer consumer initiative, launched two years before CANi, she realized had its own funding of N1.5 billion each for about 10 states and N500 million each for about 10 universities.
She commended the collaborating banks that are currently financing the initiative and called on other financial institutions to emulate them.
Describing CANi as a veritable platform for computer ownership she asked all OEMS to collaborate with CANi now being coordinated by NITDA to make computer acquisition easier for all Nigerians. She called on all stakeholders and professional bodies to come together to move the industry forward.
Earlier in her welcome speech, Engr. Florence Seriki, MD/CEO Omatek Computers expressed confidence in the Minister's ability to move the ICT industry to greater height while calling all to support the minister in her new office.
She called on the FG to re-instate the 0 percent duty and ensure the sustenance of the policy on local patronage that was passed in the last administration.
She explained how Omatek now purchases from the same main manufacturers like the foreign brands and the challenges of Large Quantity (MOQ) required from these high profile manufacturers. She explained how for example Omatek buys an MOQ order of Motherboard of one 20ft container containing 6000 pieces, while a foreign brand would buy over 10 containers at a time from the same manufacturers and end up sending over 70% back to Africa. This thus creates price challenges and the need for Africans, especially Nigerians and Ghanaians to celebrate their own.
Seriki requested that the Minister should not only work in conjunction with the educational sector but use her good offices to insist on indigenous computers such as the newly introduced Omatek 8 and 10 inches notebook to be adopted by the sector for the Nigerian youth.
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