IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The SGF, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, political affairs office under the office of the SGF, Dr. A.K. Muhammed, said this in Abuja yesterday during the preview summit of the e-enable local government administration by the national e-government strategies in collaboration with his office at the Yar’Adua Centre.

Minister of Science and Technology, Mohamed Abubakar, who stated this at the commissioning one of such centres at the Mambilla Barracks, Abuja, noted that a total of 85 of such centres have been established already.

Chikelu who launched the new website in Abuja Tuesday also said that it is linked to nearly 40 ministries and nearly 200 government sites, in addition to NTA and FRCN news. Observers already said it is the right thing to do in this e-government season.

In a recent presentation of Enterprise e-Governance Operations Solutions, in Abuja, the President was said to be impressed with the performance of the product which was presented to a to a cross section of Presidential Advisers, Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and other top government officials. The event was the last Presidential retreat held at the Banquet Hall of the Villa.

The plan also made provision for the involvement of the three tiers of government (federal, state and local governments), the private sector and civil society group.

Successful implementation of the plan will however depend on the funding options available and the ability of stakeholders to access the funds for effective use on the various programmes and projects outlined in the plan.

The Director General of the agency, Professor Cleopas Angaye said this while receiving Minister of Science and Technology at his office recently.

He said under this plan, notice of meetings, official circulars and memos should be sent electronically, beginning with those of the Federal Executives Councils, while all Ministries, Department and Agencies without a website will join soon.

Cleopas Angaye, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, said the project will provide expertise and employment for Nigerian youths, adding that it will also impact on the economy, similar to the experience of India when it established nine software development centres.

The project is a joint initiative between private sector operators which operate under the nomenclature of National e-government Strategies Ltd (NeGSt) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), an agency of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

The scheme called Rural Information Technology Centers (RITC), commenced at the weekend with the commissioning of the first one for the Nasarawa community in Nasarawa State.

The centre is designed to provide seamless access to information over the internet, as well as training in computer use for the people of Nasarawa Local Government and adjourning communities.

Director-General of the bureau, Mr Dimieari Kemedi, said the bureau had restored fiscal discipline and respect for government finances.

Kemedi said the bureau also ensured that contracts awarded were executed and that the bureau had to do this because sometime people think that government contracts were never monitored.

The President of the group, Mr Lanre Ajayi, told The Tide source in an interview in Abuja that e-government would simplify delivery of services to citizens and eliminate bottlenecks in government business. e-Government entails government using technology to provide services and information to individuals and businesses.

Dino Melaye, Chairman House Committee on Information and National Orientation said yesterday at a press conference that the committee had turned down an importation of analogue electronic equipments by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), saying that the importation contravenes the government's policy of digitalisation of electronics.

"Digital equipment enhances e-governance because it is easier to transmit information through digital methods thereby making Nigeria part of the global village. A typical example of such is the intra-net and internet facilities", he added.

Mr. Moses Adewale is 25-years old graduate of Estate Management. Five years ago when he was in his final year in the Polytechnic, he was nursing the ambition to be a project manager in one of Nigeria‘s big construction companies.

Agunloye said at the opening of a workshop on the Nigerian eGovernment Interoperability framework in Abuja, that such level of electricity would boost production and the economy.

Other indices that must be in place for the attainment of the vision, according to him, include self sustainability in agriculture and wealth creation.

The competition, which was jointly organised by Zenith Bank Plc, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) attracted youths who were allowed to develop online sites that could, boost e-commerce.

The NIG president, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, noted that the purpose of the competition was to create more internet investors and to look out for pioneer of that internet dream. He said that the association would not rest on its oars until the Information and Communication Technology sector (ICT) is saturated with vibrant internet youths, who would use it to promote employment and prevent crime.

They, however, cautioned that government must create the right environment that would enhance broadband connectivity. Broadband revolution is currently sweeping across globe and Nigeria is not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring that the many benefits of broadband are spread to all nooks and cranny of the country.

Rising from a two-day fifth edition of Smartcard exhibition and Electronic Payment (e-payment) forum 2005, recently in Lagos, participants made one point that must not be forgotten in a hurry.

The point being the consensus that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is the key to the nation's long-standing quest for global relevance, especially in this e-payment era through deployment of smartcards.