In an effort to co-ordinate Internet connectivity among tertiary institutions in Lagos state, the Centre for Information Technology and System (CITS), University of Lagos, in collaboration with Lagos Higher Education Connectivity Project (LHECP), has flagged off the "Eko Connect" project.

The project is a multi -institutional initiative by the University of Lagos in partnership with internet exchange point Nigeria and Data-sphere solution to coordinate and support network connectivity among mono-polytechnics , Colleges of Education ,Universities and Research institutions in Lagos state.

Flagging off the project at the University of Lagos Computer Department last week, the Project Coordinator, Prof. Charles Nwadia, who also is the Director, CITS, disclosed that the project will boost research activities among institutions in the state .

He advised corporate bodies and interested institutions to join hands so that the state and Nigeria will attain self-sufficiency in Internet services.

According to him, the objectives of this maiden edition of the project is to achieve inter-connectivity among research organisations and Higher Educational Institutes (HEI) in the state, as well as easy network that will be accessible to students, teachers and researchers at a fast speed.

His words: "Eko-Connect is a revolution in the annals of the nation's education sector. It will foster collaborative research in network technology, development and sharing of content applications and other resources as well as stimulating capacity building among our institutions.The successful take off of the project will ensure that there is going to be a co-ordinate and support network connectivity among the polytechnics, colleges of education, universities and research institutes in the state as well as willing secondary schools.

"We are at the pilot stage and when we are able to succeed at this level, the country will be better for it because our mission is to have a country that will be self-sufficient in internet connectivity among our institutions."

Expressing delight over the number of internet providers that had joined the initiative, Prof. Nwadia disclosed that yahoo, g-mail, Google and about 15 other Internet service providers had came on board, just as he called on others to collaborate with them on the project. He added that the project will ensure that mails and other Internet services will no longer travel to other countries before getting back to Nigeria, as the network route will be within the six geo political zones of this nation when fully operational.

"Unknown to many Internet users in the country, their mails and other services travel to foreign countries before it gets back to them. That is why many of the messages were not secured. This will now be a thing of the past, as the traffic will be limited to this country.

"This is the beginning of a new era for students, teachers and researchers in this country. They will enjoy Internet services at a faster speed on a secured network. This will definitely create opportunity for them which they will explore for the benefit of this nation.

"A very important derivative of the connectivity is the ability to share information in a cost-effective manner. The promoters of the LHECP reasoned that if institutions of higher learning in Lagos area can connect to IXP, then this will create opportunities for the institutions to share multimedia information, create and disseminate contents, and collaborate in the area of mutual interest", Prof. Nwadia added.

In his paper entitled: "Students Media Networks to Promote Community Journalism", Prof. Paul Nwulu of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, spoke on how lack of adequate infrastructure and training has remained bane of community journalism development in the country. He solicited for adequate training and re-training of journalists as well as creating enabling environment for them to be able to attain their potential as the watchdogs in the society.

"New cadre of journalists should be giving adequate training in addition to the provision of needed infrastructure for them so that they will be able to key into new development in the industry. Collaboration with universities, polytechnics and colleges of education through this kind of project will strengthen the community journalism in the country.

The following are names of institutions that are partners in the project, the Caleb University, Lagos Business School, Lagos State University (LASU), Ronik Polytechnic, PAN Africa University and others