Pantami Lauds Abiodun’s Policies on ICT Development

James Sowole in Abeokuta

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, has lauded efforts of the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), predicting that Ogun State would emerge Nigeria’s Silicon Valley in the near future.

This potential, according to the minister, is the adoption of ICT initiatives and its applications in all sectors of the state economy.

Pantami stated this when he led members of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) to pay a courtesy call on Governor Abiodun in his office.

The minister acknowledged the giant strides recorded by the present administration, particularly in its various initiatives in digital economy.

He said: “I am happy because you are passionate about IT development in Nigeria. We are happy with what you have done with ICT, particularly the giant strides in the digital economy. We have been following the activities of Ogun State TechHuB, and it is commendable.

“Ogun State has so many IT professionals. Your initiatives are attracting more investors, and I hope the state will emerge the Silicon Valley of this country in the near future.”

Pantami acknowledged the contributions of IT in raising the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many economically viable countries, observing that Silicone Valley alone has higher GDP than Qatar and Luxembourg.

While urging the state government to continue to leverage and take advantage of Information Technology in order to continue to remain a reference point for other states, Pantami pledged the support of his ministry and that of the Nigeria Computer Society to the state.

In his remarks, the President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Simeon Sodiya, said the visit was to intimate the governor of the society’s international conference, with the theme: ‘Smart, Secure and Sustainable Nation’, taking place in Abeokuta, the state capital.

He lauded the state government for using IT to drive governance, which he noted could be seen in the areas of land administration, finance, ICT hub, job portal among others.

Sodiya stated that with what members of the Society have seen in the state in terms of IT usage by the state government to implement its programmes, the conference would afford the Society the opportunity to come up with ideas capable of   engendering further development of the state.

In his response, Governor Abiodun said the state was doing well in the area of IT, as learners certificate number, digital curriculum and infrastructure in the education sector are now done digitally.

The governor, who noted the place of IT in the changing world, said his administration has put a mechanism and infrastructure in place to enhance the conducive environment for business, submitting that: “This could not have been created without the use of Information Technology.”

Abiodun disclosed that the idea for ‘The Governor’s Challenge’, which was introduced at the Ogun TechHub was to identify the best brains in ICT and also a platform to divert youths with IT knowledge from using it in a negative form.