A group, Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative (TADI), has urged members of the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities, (ASUU), to as a matter of national interest go back to the drawing board to address all areas of risks and vulnerabilities which are responsible for the rejection of University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS).
Reacting to a recent publication credited to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ABTU) Bauchi state branch of ASUU as regards the development and deployment of UTAS and the recommendation of NITDA on the said solution which led to it eventual rejection by the federal government, the group appealed to ASUU to embrace competence, due process.
In a statement, jointly signed by the executive director, Amb Yomi David and director public relations, TADI, Adeniran Taiwo, the group urged ASUU to exercise best academic professionalism which adores excellence and standardisation as its core values.
It said after critically studying the concerns raised by ASUU, ATBU branch particularly while calling on well-meaning Nigerians to intervene in the face-off and disagreements revolving around the rejection of UTAS by the federal government, it found a huge malicious misconception of the actual recommendations of NITDA by ASUU ATBU branch.
“These misconceptions were generated with ill-intention to bring NITDA and ASUU, who have enjoyed much developmental and collaborative partnership cum synergy, to a halt.
“It should be noted that NITDA has a constitutional right as the ONLY agency with the mandates to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria.
“In 2016, the agency issued Software Testing and Quality Assurance Framework and Guideline and furthermore, Section 10 of the Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT, 2019 provides detailed guidelines and expectations for Indigenous Software Development and Software Enabled Products and Services.
“Therefore, the rule of law and due process should not be jettisoned in the bid to get better service solutions for our university system. The testimonial of competence of NITDA in discharging her vital constitutional role over the years speak for itself with the level of NITDA’s commitment and professionalism exhibited in carrying out its responsibilities.
“Several other indigenous software solution patents have enjoyed the verification and certification process through these quality assurance guidelines as stipulated by NITDA.
“It should be noted that quality assurance testing of any product is done to ensure the delivery of a high-quality end product and assures that the product is glitch-free before it is released. In view of this, we found out that the agency had to carry out 3 out of the 8 tests specified in the Software Testing and Quality Assurance Framework and Guideline.
“These tests are User Acceptance Test (UAT), Stress Test; and Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test (VAPT). In which a total of 687 test cases were generated with which 529 passed, 156 failed and 2 cautionary warnings were the outcome. However, this alone reveals that, for a payment solution platform which should be near 100% in default has several loopholes of high risk vulnerabilities and informational risks that were identified,” it said.
It further said ASUU as an organization is best known to comprise personalities of high academic excellence and standards and therefore should be seeking to embrace diligence in all facets of its actions and inactions.
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