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'ICTs Instrumental to Containing Ebola in Nigeria'(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) THE Minister of Communication Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson has disclosed that a combination of the use of an Android app, Facebook and twitter were instrumental in Nigeria's fight to contain the Ebola virus. Johnson disclosed this in a policy statement delivered on Wednesday, at the at the ongoing International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 2014 Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-14) in Busan, Republic of Korea. Johnson who informed delegates made up of ministers and senior officials from across the globe that with Ebola, time is very important, added that- the phone apps helped in reducing reporting times of infections by 75 per cent, "test results were scanned to tablets and uploaded to emergency databases and field teams got text message alerts on their phones informing them of the results." Johnson reiterated that the combination of the Internet and mobile cellular phones has opened up tremendous opportunities for countries like Nigeria. The steep increase in mobile use, according to Johnson is driven by a number of factors, particularly, the additional ways in which mobile phones are being used in Nigeria. She added that beyond conducting voice conversations, mobile phones are often the preferred channel for receiving data and for conducting transactions in Nigeria - making phones an indispensable tool used as-cameras, wallets, shops, music players, movie screens, and information or service centres of Nigerians. Nigeria's policy focus Johnson noted, in a statement signed her Special Assistant on Media, Efem Nkanga, is in step with the reality of the mobile Internet revolution spreading across the globe- "thus, the ministry of Communications Technology is looking to create a viable environment for the proliferation of lower priced devices, increased investment in network infrastructure, and increased availability of spectrum for mobile broadband, in the knowledge that these will further drive growth in the nation's ICT sector." Johnson also disclosed that through the implementation of the National ICT Policy, National Broadband Roadmap, and Guidelines for Nigerian Content in ICT, the ministry is bringing greater clarity and predictability to the Nigerian ICT sector. She disclosed that in the past four years, Nigeria has seen mobile subscription increase from 87 million active SIM cards to over 131 million and mobile Internet subscription stood at 67 million as at June 2014. The Ministry's policy framework, Johnson added is in line with the ITU's Strategic Plan for 2016-2019, particularly, its identified goals and targets of growth, inclusiveness, sustainability, and innovation and partnership. "The ICT sector's contribution to Nigeria's GDP is growing and was about 10.44 per cent in 2013. The sector also indirectly impacts GDP through its influence on other key sectors; for example, in the 2013, ICTs were responsible for 12.05 per cent of the value added by the Finance and Insurance sector to GDP. In terms of social growth, ICTs are helping Government to meet health objectives, and are amplifying benefits in the education and agriculture sectors", she stated. Copyright The Guardian. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |