The leadership of the umbrella body for all IT professionals and organizations in Nigeria, with more than 20,000 members and major interest groups including ISPON, ITAN, ISPAN, NiWIIT, ITSSP, AITP, NITPCS, NACOSS, students’ body, the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), Tuesday in Lagos sent an SOS to the federal government for the rescue of three major corporate members, who had been under pressure of collapse due to some failed official engagements with some government agencies.
The companies are Remita, Omatek Computers Plc and Chams Group.
Addressing the press at the national head office of NCS in Lagos, the President, Prof Adesola Aderounmu, decried the long silence of the government in finding lasting resolutions of the different crisis rocking the trio which had technically put them out of business for some years now.
On REMITA, which is a product of SYSTEMSPECS, an indigenous ICT solution provider, NCS averred that “Up till now the FG has not been able to fulfil its obligation with regard to the services rendered to her through REMITA software”.
While making it clear that “Our prayer to FG is to pay SYSTEMSPECS the total cost of all their services rendered to date,” Prof. Aderounmu highlighted the plight Chams Plc (and Chams Consortium Ltd, CCL)), a forefront operator of the National Identity Management System Concession (the Concession) which commenced officially in the year 2010.
According to him, “It is on record that Chams made huge investments, in excess of N9bn, into the concession. Chams however suffered many frustrations which eventually snowballed into an unresolved state of affairs. This is despite the fact that Chams Plc has submitted to an amicable resolution in furtherance of her faith in the present administration.
“NCS calls for urgent and decisive intervention to salvage Chams Plc’s position and allow Chams Plc and Chams Consortium Ltd reap the fruits of an amicable resolution freely entered into with the NIMC.
Prof Aderounmu, who spoke shortly after the end of the group’s National Executive council meeting, said “Time has come to rescue Omatek Computers which hitherto was among the highest employers of Nigerians”.
“Omatek Ventures PLC is a listed Company with corporate focus in the Assembling, Sales, Maintenance of Computers, Inverters and Solar Power products. An OEM specialising in the local assembly of Computer cases, Speakers, Keyboards and Mouse, other than Computer systems and Notebooks in the whole of Africa. Assembling of these components in this factory has created a great advantage to other systems builders as well as resellers all over Africa for retailing. This has created jobs and developed human capital.
“Omatek Ventures Plc, has been accused of defaulting on its credit facility agreement with the Bank of Industry (BOI). According to the development bank, the company has refused to service the N5.81 billion which it obtained in 2012.
“According to BOI, several measures have been employed to ensure Omatek keep to the loan agreement, but all to no avail.
“After his appointment as Managing Director in 2017, the new Managing Director of the company, Yemi Ogundipe, however, promised to make amends. This commitment hasn’t been fulfilled to date. The company has however been put under lock and key by court pronouncement initiated by Bank of Industry (BOI).
In his prayers to the Federal Government, NCS called for a move that will compel the BoI to align with the peace process so as to vacate the court order that locked down the company’s operating premises for years even as key electronic complements meant for assembling devices rot away under lock and keys.
