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Minister Tells Nigerians Not To Panic Over Y2K LAGOS, Dec 21 (AFP) - Nigeria is on course to be Y2K compliant, the head of the national Y2K committee said Tuesday, urging Nigerians not to panic over the computer bug. Key state-run sectors of the economy were found to be around 88.5 percent compliant in studies done by the committee, Deputy Science and Technology Minister Pauline Tallen told reporters. "It is with pride that I state ... that Nigeria is working tirelessly to ensure that its systems and operations are Y2K ready," the minister said. "Let nobody panic ... Do not panic to buy extra foodstuffs, do not panic to withdraw extra cash from banks, do not panic to buy petroleum products," she added. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and one of the world's leading oil producers, has been put at the bottom of the table internationally for Y2K compliance but Tallen said efforts underway since February were now showing results. The minister added that the assessments done by the Y2K committee found state-run telecommunications operator NITEL was almost 100 percent Y2K compliant, following upgrades carried out by German telecoms giants Siemens. Tallen said that the government had ensured that adequate contingency and recovery plans were set in place in all key areas in case of computer failures after midnight December 31. Among the sectors that are most prepared, the transport and aviation sector was found to be 96 percent compliant, the energy sector and federal ministries and agencies 92 percent, the banking and finance sectors 85 percent and health 70 percent, she said.
The country's two fully operating international airports, at Lagos and Kano, were completely Y2K compliant and would monitor other facilities in a west African regional cooperation program, she said. Tallen added that from 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, all federally-run airports are to run on generators to forestall the effect of any disruption to power supplies. The government has also made stocks of fuel to be able to last the country for 30 days in case of problems with fuel supplies to the country.
Newswires |
