CPN vows to flush out quacks in IT industry

THE Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), has vowed to flush out quacks in the Information Technology industry as part of the effort to sanitise the sector.

Registrar and secretary of the council, Mr Allwell Achumba, spoke in Abuja while briefing newsmen on activities of CPN and its forthcoming 2020 IT Assembly.

He said the council would soon clampdown on all unregistered practitioners in the IT profession across the country.

Achumba said the council is mandated to, in accordance with the provision of its establishment Act, establish and maintain a register of persons seeking to be registered under the Act to practise the computing profession as well as  the publication, from time to time, of the list of such persons.

According to him, over 5,000 IT professionals have so far registered with the CPN and as such qualified to practise in Nigeria.

He said the council had been involved in determination of academic and professional standards in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology and related disciplines.

He also explained that “it is the mandate of the council to screen individuals seeking to be registered to engage in the sale or use of computing facilities and the provision of professional services in computing in the country.”

While disclosing that the body conducts professional examination twice a year, the registrar said the Council also carries out  accreditation of institutions’ courses and programmes, as well as evaluation of certificates in computing and other related disciplines.

On clampdown on unregistered professionals, he  said: “We did that some years ago even before I became the registrar of the council. We have the mandate and we are empowered by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to rid the profession of quackery.”

The President and Chairman-in-Council of CPN, Professor Charles Uwadia, in his remark, said there was the need to raise the profile of IT profession in the country.

He noted that quackery was not peculiar to computing profession only, saying however,  that Information and Communication Technology sector was critical to the development of the nation and must not be left in the hands of charlatans.

Uwadia, said the forthcoming 2020 annual CPN Information Technology Professional Assembly would discuss and strategise on emerging issues in Information Technology, especially the adoption of fifth generation wireless (5G) in Nigeria, which is the latest iteration of cellular technology.