INTERNET TO THE GRASSROOTS

Digital divide: Finding effective means of bringing Internet to the grassroots
By SAMSON ECHENIM
Tuesday, 9 Mar 2010

 Creation of digital centres to provide rural dwellers access to the Internet and useful data for self development is required to boost the quality of human capital in Nigeria. SAMSON ECHENIM writes on the means through which this can be achieved more effectively.


Digital divide, across the globe or within a country, has become a concern to responsible governments and relevant stakeholders, while investors are showing new interest in opportunities inherent in bridging the gap.


According to Wikipedia, digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology on one hand and those with very limited or no access at all on the other hand.


It also has to do with the imbalances in physical access to technology as well as the imbalances in resources and skills needed to effectively participate as digital citizens. In other words, it is the unequal access by some members of a society to Information and Communication Technology, and the unequal acquisition of related skills.


Digital divide, therefore, implies knowledge divide as the lack of technology causes lack of useful information and knowledge. It may be classified, based on gender, income, or by geographical locations.


In a report released by the International Telecommunications Union on February 25, 2010 the body‘s analysis revealed a link between higher educational performance and greater access to the Internet. The report, entitled ”Measuring the Information Society, 2010,” also showed more women in the workforce and more equality between men and women in households with Internet access.


In smaller towns and villages in Nigeria, access to the computer or the Internet is a big problem, leading to the establishment of the Universal Service Provision Fund, an arm of the Nigeria Communication Commission, to work in enhancing the accessibility of telecommunications and related infrastructure and services by people in those areas.


In a speech delivered at a recent USPF Stakeholders Consultative Forum in Ibadan, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, affirmed the need to bridge the digital gap.


He said as an arm of the NCC, the USPF was designed to contribute to the national economic and social development through the enhancement of the universal accessibility of ICT infrastructure and services as well as supporting the establishment of efficient and self sustaining businesses, which would continue to expand access to ICT on their own initiative.


According to the Head, Corporate Services, USPF, Mr. Okoh Aihe, in addition to other relevant ICT issues, his organisation will establish the financial models for rural connectivity; determine the appropriate technologies for rural communities and available rural connectivity solutions.


However, such developmental gestures, he said will not be successful if rhetoric was given prominence, with actions played down to mere seminars and forums. Without the concerted input of ICT investors, who will be ready to extend their investments to the rural areas, success might remain elusive.


To this effect, the Nigerian Representative for SkyVision, a global IP connectivity company with head office in the United States, Mr. Abdulrazaq Shittu, give some useful insights into how to get cheaper digital solutions for the rural areas.


While noting that the buying power of the people in the rural areas matters, Shittu says determination of the infrastructure that is suitable for the areas and the level of government‘s support are also major factors in bridging the digital divide.


He says, ”You cannot rule out the fact that access to data and information is access to wealth. But for you to have access to data, you must have a computer and you can now imagine how those living in the rural areas can afford it.


”In the United States for instance, there is no where you call a rural area because they all have access to data. When you have access to data, you can make an idea that will help you in bringing food to your table.”


Shittu, nevertheless, says there are other cheaper solutions that can give rural dwellers access to the Internet. He says since villages cannot have fibre for now, the best way to make sure they have access to data is through the satellite.


”The local governments can be encouraged to establish digital centres in various wards where they put computers, using the iDirect solution since they cannot have access to fibre. So, the only way to go is through a small solution such as the satellite,” says Shittu.


The ICT expert advises that local government authorities can divide their areas into several digital centres. This, he says, is synonymous with establishing libraries as they used to do before as data is now on the Internet.


”So, if you have about 10 digital centres, where you can have about 20 computers in each centre and you put a small iDirect solution for them to be able to have Internet, then people will have regular access to data. To me, this is an excellent idea of bringing data access to the grassroots relatively cheaply,” he explains.


Another way to bridge the digital divide is for the Federal Ministry of Education to empower and mandate all state ministries of education to ensure they have digital centres in all primary and secondary schools, in addition to active teaching of IT, says Mr. Augustine Idarah, whose company also provides Internet via the satellite.


Idarah, who agrees with Shittu on the idea of creating digital centres in the rural areas by the local councils, adds that the state governments should actively assist the local councils and make the project mandatory.


”Companies operating in local communities can also seize this opportunity as a new way to go in their corporate social responsibility programmes. Establishing internet centres by these companies is more of empowering the people at a higher level, because it is about access to vital information that can change their lives,” says Idarah.