₦airaland Forum

Obiagu1:
. . . and where did Zinox confirm they supplied every single laptop used for the exercise? Link please.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201101171453.html

I owe you an apology, it seems that Zinox supplied about 80,000 units. While this makes up the bulk of the machines in use, it isn't all. I'll modify my post


@Kobonjunkie @Sochan
here's an excerpt from a news post you may find interesting
http://allafrica.com/stories/201009130279.html

But the move by INEC to award the job to Lenovo, drew the condemnation of the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Computer Society, which raised issues with the commission's decision to award the multibillion naira contract, said to be estimated at N35 billion, to a foreign company.


Both professional bodies had queried the rationale for awarding the contract to supply thousands of notebook computers, webcams, printers, back-up batteries and finger print scanners that make up the DDC equipment to a foreign firm.Of major concern was that Lenovo had not undergone the same security screening and scrutiny that other companies, local and foreign, that were bidding for the job had earlier been subjected to by the State Security Service and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Concerns were also expressed that awarding the contract to foreign based OEM would lead to capital flight and that it went against the grain of building local capacity.

But Lenovo was said to have rejected the RFQ sent by INEC on the grounds that the timelines given by the commission were unrealistically short, and that INEC had failed to attach the payment terms for the contract.

sochan:
@Texazzpete,

Once again you got it all wrong. So you really believe that fraud of an election in Delta state right?

What about this danming condemnation from the guadian

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34951:the-april-2011-elections&catid=67:you-report-lagos&Itemid=583

Abi you have a problem wuth them as well.

Listen, people like you are the reason why we are where we are. Not prepared to face up to the truth.

Once again, if it was the UK or US after the sham of an election in Delta state and the rubbish voters registeration so far, whoever is at the helm would be sacked straight. so stop kidding yourself. they understand when matters are serious of which this is one and all due care and attention would have been taken

Dude. It pays to pay attention.
That section in the Guardian is the 'You reports' section. It's a section where the whole world is invited to write their own articles and submit. As long as it doesn't directly slander anyone and doesn't contain obscenities and racial slurs, it'll probably will be left online.
Guardian does not publish such 'you reports' in print and the articles there are definitely not the official position of the Guardian editorial board.

I repeat, there was fraud in Delta State, but not MASSIVE fraud as te likes of Sahara Reporters would have you believe. SR seeded the airwaves with rumours of an Ogboru 'landslide' victory so that in the aftermath of the elections, rigging would be seized upon as a reason for his loss. i don't trust those people.

@Obiagu
Give it a rest, willya. ALL the laptops were supplied by Zinox. Every single one of them. This fact confirmed by Zinox themselves. Please refrain from exposing your ignorance so recklessly.

Kobojunkie:
For the amount of money the man had available to him, he could have hired independent consulting firms to stress test the machines/applications to ensure they are even capable of handling the work. This is about the SIMPLEST setup possible but the degree of failure so far is just unbelievable and unacceptable by any standards.

I don't feel this whole set up, and idea, was seriously tested. I mean a lot of the problems people have posted could have easily been caught during the testing period. The way I see it, INEC probably assumed that buying a computer, a scanner, and a piece of software that CLAIMS it does a particular job is all that is necessary, in much the same way INEC supposedly assumed that our NYSC corp members will, without sufficient training, know how to use computers and this particular software. IF this isn't INCOMPETENCE, I don't what else qualifies.

I am not saying he is corrupt but so far he has shown he was not the person for the job at all.

Wrong.
This setup has been used successfully by MTN, Glo and Airtel to capture and store subscribe data. It works! And why shouldn't it? On a base level, there's no reason why this should not work. This isn't even about stress testing. A $450 HP laptop from Best Buy can handle the workload EASILY. An $80 USB biometric sensor from Futronics inc comes highly recommended and is reputed to be able to capture fingerprint data from even scarred and calloused hands.
Jega made the right moves as far as identifying (at a high level) the equipment needed.

So what went wrong? I think the answer must still lie with Zinox. The laptops they supplied have been described as unreliable, often slow and crash-prone. Also heating problems. The software also was not properly optimised.
This is why i am calling for a detailed inquest into what went wrong before calling for Jega's head. It's fine to criticize him now, though.

I am not a "jega supporter'. I am even now doing some investigation into the scanner being used. 234next says jega's budget requested for Futronics USB Biometric scanner at $97 per unit. However, it seems the scanners being used are made by Haier, a chinese company. I am currently pursuing this investigation with the aid of some people on ground. Also i'm trying to get the actual specs of the laptops in use. We'll see.

Kobojunkie:
Was he in anyway RESTRICTED to just indigenous companies? For the amount budgeted, I actually expected he would go for WORLD CLASS MACHINES already used in other countries for this exercise.

By the way, this is a question . . . where does all the data collected go? Do we have thousands of laptops floating around carrying sensitive data around?

Local content. He'd have been verbally slaughtered if he went with a foreign company while a local alternative was in place. I can just imagine the press conferences Zinox et al would have been holding to lambast the Government.


From what i gather, the data is actually stored in external hard disks (connected via USB) and not actually on the laptop. They probably have to turn in the hard disks every night for data dump into a central repository.

Kobojunkie:
Please stop . . . you are so wrong! I can't imagine any government agency here doing the same, and the people involved not getting fired for such incompetence on their part.

Please clarify. What 'people involved' and what 'government agency'?

Also when you say 'here' you're obviously referring to the US. Clarify whether anyone would be fired DURING the voters registration and while the final outcome of the exercise is still uncertain, if this had happened in the US.

From what i heard, it was from a fallout of the Jos crisis. Supply of Onions from the North slowed down to a trickle, shooting up the price in port harcourt.

That's what i was told, though.

sochan:
@texazzpete,

You really dont get it do you. So all this fiasco about the disasterous elections in delta state and the rubbish of a Voters registeration is not worthy of a sack in your opinion?

Listen Jjega was not hired for the elections alone. His job spec states that he is in charge and oversees INEC. That includes effectively running the organisation. Now for anyone to suggest that he should not be critisize for a terrible job so-far, smacks of the typical Nigerians mentality, which says "we dont sack or take resposibility for phuck-up, we just pat them on the back"

Nigeria can only move forward if anf only when we are prepared to tell ourselves the truth.

The Delta state elections was not 'disastrous'. Only childish minds will believe the rubbish lies Sahara Reporters was spreading. There were cases of electoral fraud, but it's totally wrong to classify it as 'disastrous'. Uduaghan won that election.
The voters registration exercise is still ongoing. The primary purpose is to register all eligible Nigerians who want to vote. It's anyone's guess if everyone can be registered before the due end-date. If there are gaps in the registration exercise, the date can be extended. At the end of the day, it's possible that all eligible voters WILL be registered. Will that be a 'rubbish' exercise then?

No one said Jega should not be criticized for lot of the lapses so far. But sack? that'll be a brainless move, sorry.

sochan:
if Jega was in the UK, US or wherever besides Nigeria, he would have been sacked.

By the way which top Nigerian official has ever been sacked for incompetence? Same mentality that slaved nigeria for over 6 months without a president

Wrong. You need to broaden your mind.
In the US or UK, they'd wait until AFTER the voters registration exercise, then hold an inquest into the lapses, launch an investigation into the root causes of all the issues. Any decision would be taken after that detailed review, not based on the rantings of over excitable forum posters and bloggers.

Dede1:
I guess the so-called “international community” shall be happy with Nigerian officials for throwing billons of dollars for this idio.tic exercise.

Even though this election process could be the worst ever conducted in the colonial contraption called Nigeria, the members of EU, UN, Americans and others will broadcast to the world that Nigeria had conducted “free and fair election”.

Can you STFU about 'international community' and 'western world' for a moment? How did this even enter the discussion?

Secondly, you're spreading FUD. We've spent billions of NAIRA not dollars. There's a difference, you know.

[quote author=~Bluetooth link=topic=589783.msg7583498#msg7583498 date=1295721231]Abiola is an afrocentrist who strongly and openly canvassed for reparation from europeans for their injustice in Africa.this,he promised to achieve if he becomes president.He is also viewed to be anti-west which was why they didn't support him.
However,if Africans don't want interference from the west,they should prove to the world they can cordinate themselves better.[/quote]I automatically classify anyone asking for reparation from the west for the transatlantic slave trade as being unserious.

Ola edo:
You have to ask yourself who really is the "international community".Notice how they never give names of countries in that community. It could very well just be France, the U.S., and maybe 2 other African countries.

If you struggle with the 'international community' tag, i hope you understand 'United Nations' at least? The ECOMOG's position is supported by the UN.

why are you people even replying this obvious troll?
https://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/7548/944164-troll_obvious_super.jpg

Kalu Akanu:
Dammmn you T.A. Orji! Such a bush man. Dr. Michael Okpara is probably turning in his grave!

Will your people kick him out in April? that is the question.

I don't know why some people are whining about the 'west' here. Yes, the ECOMOG position is backed by the western countries. But it's also supported by the UN. The proposed action has support even from the likes of China and Russia.

Instead of Africans to be proud that for once ECOMOG is standing united against crimes against democracy (this will serve as a deterrence to coup-plotters) they are here babbling about Western colonialism and interference.
Nonsense.

sochan:
@texazzpete

I dont think you really understand how these things work.

with this sort of incompetence in other countries, he would have been sacked straightway. let us stop making excuses for rubbish performance like we nigerians are always good at doing.

Jega failed in Delta state and has failed again now. And must be asked to step down before the elections


Over 100B Naira spent, and it is this rubbish he is presenting to Nigerians, even blaming poor corpers for his lack of know how. Jega might be a decent man, but this task is way beyond him. He is really out of his depths on this one, and whsould do the sensible thing and step down.

I would suggest that the press start doing thier work. he must go

I don't think YOU understand how things work.
Jega was hired to conduct, supervise and oversee the 2011 elections. The elections haven't happened yet.
Here's an idea. Why don't you guys wait to see how the elections pan out before you people criticize him?

Remember people, there are hitches so far in the registration process. But calling him incompetent before the elections he was hired to supervise is just really silly.

Ibime:
Like Mikeansy once said, JEGA is either extremely incompetent or corrupt

I don't agree with this, and i think these statements are unfair to the man.
One man cannot change everything in Nigeria. The buck must stop at Jega's table as the INEC lead, yes, but i think INEC a body is being overwhelmed with logistics.

Let's examine this; by the numbers, he did what was the 'right' thing.

1. he solicited an obtained the required funds from the FG
2. He was able to identify the equipment needed to capture and record voter information
3. He gave the contract to procure the equipment to a Nigerian company (Local content development)

did the man ever envisage that Zinox would supply underpowered, overpriced laptops with many cases of hardware failure, overheating and software glitching? Would he think that a fingerprint scanner that GSM firms have been using happily to register subscribers would cause issues? Would he have thought that Zinox's software would refuse to play nice with the fancy scanners they purchased?

Let's not be too quick to put the 'corrupt' tag on jega's head.

cecegorz:
^^^
You and your BB beef.

Beef? I'm merely speaking the truth. Until you use a modern smartphone platform, you'll never realise this truth.

omafones:
@OP

This is brilliant news, thumbs up to the mobilityNigeria guys, now we need iTunes to step up.
I have just upgraded some of my apps using BB App world whilst in Nigeria, last week that was impossible.

Need to publicise this further

1. mobilityNigeria did nothing (apart from foolishly claiming credit and making some laughable threats)
2. Most people already know about this. it's the blackberry platform afterall. News spreads like wildfire

Obahiagbon never said this o! I made this up as an amusing facebook post.

Funny how several later i've been receiving my own words in emails as what Obahiagbon said. And now it's on Nairaland.

Ribadu has always found solace in the company of 'sacred cow' crooks. Who can forget him absolving Bode George of any wrongdoing in 2006? Or his refusal to hear any petitions concerning OBJ, IBB and other sacred cows?

That INEC official should be arrested and jailed for extreme dumbness.

Obeledu:
Linux is not the problem, the Linux OS is small, compact and secure and well fitted for operation like this. Going for Window that is very bogus is a waste of resources and will definitely slow down the whole process.

If you people have not used Ubuntu, try to dual boot with window and you will see the difference. Since I started using Linux I have not gone back to Window again.

Windows will FLY on a capable machine. Plus its driver support is much better.
This is not an issue of Linux vs Windows, save that for the Computer section please.

bigrovar:
The reality of the matter is even if ecomog wants to, it just does not have the capacity to carry out a touch and go operation. Any attempt to try and forcefully remove Gbagbo would at best end in a stalemate, chances of completely routing Gbagbo's forces within the first few months of operation is completely wishful thinking. It did not happen in Liberia it didn't happen in Sierra leone. If the case of previous intervention is to be taken into account. what we would have is a long drawn out bloody expensive campaign which would cost lots of lives and propertry not to talk of creating a huge Humanitarian Disaster unprecedented in West Africa. we should remember that we are not talking about Tiny Liberia or Sierra leone we are talking about a country with an estimated population of 20mil here. In the end of the day after many would have dead and millions of dollars wasted every one would have to agree to go back to the negotiating table. The best hope for Cote D’ivoire is sanctions. The international community should target the circle from military head to key ministers so that there see that it is not in their interest to back the gbago government. This might seem long and even frustrating. But before me compared to Military intervention it is the best approach

Sanctions do nothing. They couldn't force Saddam out, they couldn't faze Mugabe. Why do you think they'd work in Ivory Coast?

monkeyleg:
@texazzpete,

Well, the buck stops at his desk. So he should start by issuing an apology for the disgraceful excersize so far, instead of allowing innocent corpers take the blame.

Then next wee need to question his judgement, and his advisers. They should really be giving his sound advice? Who did the due diligence on this whole thing.

Sorry, the fhuck-up is just to big for him to be passing the blame around. They say with the top job comes great responsiblility (and money), so he should me man enough to admit to the mistakes.

I agree, the buck stops at his desk and ultimately the fallout of this will come on Jega's head.
But it's extremely distasteful seeing people comparing him to Iwu at every turn

hercules07:
The problem is not giving it to Zinox, Zinox sells super duper HP laptops (bought 3k laptops for clients from them), the issue has to do with INEC not having a good project management team, settlement of stakeholders (serious egunje changed hands) and poor logistics. They could have asked Zinox to bring say about 500 unit of those devices in for a test run say 1 month before the commencment of registration, they could have done corper training about two months ago, all the teething issues would have been resolved long before the registration exercise proper. They chose linux as an operating system because it is free and did not plan properly, their only thought was on getting the DDC machines in, they did not think about the human angle.

Zinox has their own branded systems that they sell, i don't know about retailing HP laptops.
Secondly, If memory does not fail me, wasn't it only in October that INEC got their cash request approved for the DDC machines? They've been running a tight timeline for a while now.

hercules07:
@oyb

The reason I quoted 500 is so they can have trainings in all 36 states and abuja. Believe me, Zinox is the largest distributor of HP products in Nigeria, they could have sold them high end equipment if the settlement issue was not there, you can buy an HP product from them, worst case they import it for you at a price lower than what you see on the internet. Jega might have got 87billion naira, I doubt 25 percent of that was used to purchase the items.

That's not how it works. Zinox would have been asked to submit a quote for the DDC setup including the laptops. I doubt a non-technophile like JEGA would be the one discussing the specs of the laptops. Bottom line is that Zinox was given the contract as per local content and they supplied mediocre, underpowered laptops for an overbloated price.

[quote author=ndu_chucks link=topic=588143.msg7563983#msg7563983 date=1295455656]@texazzpete, lol, you've now concluded that people who disagree with you don't pay taxes. I will come back and deal with you when I get close to a PC.

o[/quote]My conclusion is that anyone who supports the waste of taxpayers' money most likely does not pay tax!

[quote author=ndu_chucks link=topic=588143.msg7557576#msg7557576 date=1295371545]@texazzpete, what's the matter with you? No one in his right mind is saying that they should let people continue this extremely unsafe act! The least they could do is provide enough supervision and organization to ensure that these people will not be able to ride the trains in an unsafe manner in the first place.

It is not difficult to do that. They used to have conductors effectively for these purposes.

For those who are wondering whether we have train services, please note that as far back as the late 1960s trains used to go From Lagos all the way to Kano, Jos etc. on a weekly basis. Thieving thieves have since destroyed the system.[/quote]So my tax money should be used to employ people to beg i.diots not to carry out a potentially suicidal act abi?

This is how you know people on Nairaland who don't pay taxes.

dappssee:
When I said I didnt trust Jega sometime in October last year, some people almost crucified me.

Here we go now

Can you guys grow up and give this Jega blame a rest?
he did the right thing on paper. Awarded the contract to a much hyped Nigerian IT company - Zinox - to procure and assemble to DDC apparatus (laptop, Printer, webcam, scanner). That's Nigerian content for you.
The buck stops on his table as INEC chairman, true, but is it really his fault that Zinox (as a typically Nigerian company) went the cheap option?
Did the terms of contract mandate that Zinox use Linux? Unlikely.
Would it have killed Zinox to use large capacity batteries in the laptops so they could run for at least 7 - 8 hours without charge? No.

Zinox is one of the main villains of this story and it irks me to see them escaping all the popular ire while Jega who is probably just an average computer user is left to explain about 'patches' and 'tweaks' to a Linux distro he's probably never used.

It matters not what OS is on the machine, the INEC software runs as a full layer atop the OS. As numerous corps members have said, once launched, you cannot minimize the windows.
So whether Linux, Windows, OsX or BeOS, the corps members would have been faced with the same interface as soon as they launched the INEC software.

The only exposure to the OS would have been to boot and log in. And since the linux distro in use is reported to be Ubuntu, it should be intuitive enough to click on an icon on the desktop.

I think the so-called experts should keep quiet

PS: I'm so pissed off at Zinox. Sell Nigeria over 80,000 crappy laptops for inflated prices and then try to gain cheap PR by making a 'patriotic' gesture.

Is this the scanner?
https://www.neurotechnology.com/res/FS80_1.jpg

careytommy:
@ remii, texazpete et al
try n confirm anytim b4 postin trash.
d only problem wit d system is was d finger print scanner. my RACO (if u no wt dt mins) said dey purpsly downgraded d versn 4rm 1.8 to 1.2 to prvnt multpl reg (i stil dnt get d logic behind it)
ystday i cld only reg 6 ppl bt tday i reg 58.
BTW, d installed OS is Ubuntu and u cant edit 1ce u save

I'll let the insult slide.

naturally you can't edit once you save. This is to prevent you guys from fraudulently changing records. it's understandable.
I didn't expect the Ubuntu as the OS, that's surprising. Also 234Next claims the Futronic USB fingerprint scanner was the model quoted by INEC in their budget. if this is true, it's supposedly a capable scanner. Perhaps it's a software/drivers issue?
(Funny enough, while INEC's budget puts the unit cost of the scanner at $97, the latest version of this is sold for $82. Corruption?)

Can you check the specs of the laptop itself? Zinox is not known for well-specced systems.

This is why we're in this mess, because all you people still focus all your attention on the presidency.
Destroying PDP's majority in the Senate, House and the ranks of Governors is enough to send PDP on a downward spiral.
All i hear is people talking about Atiku, GEJ, Ribadu etc. That's short-sighted IMHO.

For me, i'll vote against PDP in every electoral position apart from the presidency.

johndoe200:
You have to love sahara reporters, when the news does not favor them , they simply make it up.

The antics of SR are well known.

Reminds me of how they made up all those stories of a landslide victory for Great Ogboru so that when Uduaghan won, people would blame it on massive rigging.