An Africa based Information and Communications Technology Foundation, the African ICT Foundation has started what it described as re-branding and re-engineering process, which it believes will help it to formulate, evaluate, and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovations and boost productivity that will spur growth, opportunity and progress.
The group in a statement in Lagos, signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Bassey, the Foundation, which is an independent, not-for-profit, and non-partisan empowerment and educational organization, noted that the Foundation intends to positively impact on the African economy, tackle attended challenges and avoid potential pitfalls.
Part of the re-branding, according to the statement is the inauguration of a new Board of Trustee to drive the affairs of the Foundation in the coming years, for effective delivering of its objective.
The Foundation at its inception had as its board member: Dr. Samuel I. Ikiddeh – NNPC as Chairman, Engr. Emmanuel E. Ekuwem-Phd –Teledom group, (now SSG to the Akwa Ibom State government), Engr. Lanre Ajayi – Former ATCON President and Pinet Informatics Ltd. CEO, Mr. Aliyu D. Ibrahim – (NCC), Dr. Olufunsho Olusanya, Rector, D S Adegbenro Ist Polytechnic, Itori Ogun state(Former ICT gateway Polytechnic, tori Ogun State) and Rev. Oke Omezi, Legal Practitioner and Pastor of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).
Others are Mr. Usman A. Rufai, Faculty of Science, Computer Science Department, University of Lagos, and Prof. Effiong Johnson- University of Uyo.
Bassey explained that the Foundation is poised towards providing policymakers on the continent with high-quality information, analysis, and recommendations they can trust.
While expressing confidence of the new Board of Trustee to meet the objectives of the Foundation, he promised that in all ramifications, it will adhere to a high standard of research integrity with an internal code of ethics grounded in analytical rigor, policy pragmatism, which will be separated from external direction or bias.
For the nominations, Bassey stated that Africans can nominate respected ICT personalities who have made their mark and creating impact in Africa’s ICT ecosystem by visiting the Foundation’s website:africanictfoundation.org.
The Foundation, according to him, “will be led by a board of experts in the ICT industry in Africa and African descent that are internationally recognised in policy issues and have recognised footprint in the industry.
He said the board will be a team of policy analysts and fellows that will include authors and recognised experts in the fields of telecommunications, public policy advocacy, economics, tax policy, trade, privacy, cyber-security, and life sciences, among many others.
The board will run the Foundation through a secretariat based in Nigeria with other offices in Africa.
Upon the inauguration of the board, which shall consist of the Chairman of the Board/President, Vice Chair/Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and representatives of other African countries, the board shall elect its officials.
