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ISPON Wants Bailout for Indigenous Software Developers(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Following the long-term neglect on indigenous software, which has placed local software developers at disadvantage position, compared with their foreign counterparts, the Institute of Software Developers of Nigeria (ISPON) has called for immediate bailout for local software developers. Disturbed by the ugly situation, ISPON President, Chris Uwaje, told THISDAY that government must act fast in boosting local software development in the country, in order to save the situation. According to him, "A simple National Software Development policy and conscious IT legislations (Acts of the National Assembly) can turn the Nation's Software fortune around. The time to act is now! Our Universities need Software strategic plans and a robust Campus Intranet Infrastructure Backbone to engage in the knowledge economy. New knowledge must precede new technological products and the supercomputer of today will become the everyday nano-computer of tomorrow". Uwaje, in a chat with THISDAY, promised that ISPON would engage the Federal Government to update its initial circular to Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to patronise indigenous software at all levels and establish grant for software developers. Uwaje who lamented the absence of national Information Technology (IT) Parks for software development in the country, said it would cost between N350 million to N5 billion to develop a standard IT Park for Nigeria, depending on the scale, model, and size, based on small, medium and large range. He explained that although ISPON had in the past made frantic efforts to develop a standard IT Park that would include software incubation centre, but that the National Software Development Initiative of ISPON during the tenure of Mr. Jim Ovia as ISPON President, was stalled due to land ownership and property on the land of Lagos State Government. Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, had approved Wing B of the Old Federal Secretariat in Lagos for software incubation centre and IT Park, but years after it was approved, the place was not utilised, due to the dispute on the land ownership. According to Uwaje, the recent international award to ISPON by the International Arch of Europe Quality Award, which was based on ISO QC100 standard and awarded to Nigerian developed software, was an indication that indigenous software could compete favourably with foreign developed software, if given the enabling support from government. Addressing the issue of patronage, Uwaje said: "There should be consistent software investment and performance policy for every company and organisation, especially those using investment in IT from the state budget to be compelled to use the domestic software products and services that are recognised at a quality standard suitable to Nigerian conditions." Copyright This Day. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |