FG Supports LGs’ Deployment of Smart Solutions to Curb Insecurity

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The federal government has thrown its weight behind the deployment of smart solutions by local governments to tackle security challenges, boost food security and improved service delivery.
The Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, made the pledge in Abuja, yesterday, at the November edition of Devs in Government with the theme, ‘Innovating Digital Solutions for Improved Local Government Service Delivery’.
Devs in Governments is a programme which is focused on bringing all the technologists in government together to discuss how they can ensure the use of technology to drive efficiency in government service delivery.

The edition featured a co-create challenge with a smart solution by participants.
While making the pledge, Tijani also stated that the local councils had been granted some kind of seed funding, adding that the financial seed support was just the beginning as the ministry would give more support to councils that are able to apply the smart solutions to impact their people.
“We actually granted them some sort of seed funding; the winners, we gave them N2 million and the others N3, N1 million each. And that’s not the end; this is just a resource that they can use to kick-start the process of actually building the solution.

“And we’re going to support them as a ministry to ensure that those of them who are serious about taking the solution to actually impact people in their local communities.
“We’re going to help them build it but also deploy it as well,” he added.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive, Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, who was represented by the Executive Director, Customer Centricity and Marketing , Olusegun Olulade, expressed “Galaxy Backbone’s mission to bridge the digital divide and drive inclusive digital access across Nigeria.”
According to him, “It’s an ideal opportunity to exchange ideas on harnessing technology to transform local government operations, enhancing the effectiveness and accessibility of public services.

“One key initiative advancing this goal is the 774 LG Connectivity Project, spearheaded by Dr. Bosun Tijani. This project is designed to bridge the connectivity gap between urban and rural communities, ensuring that every part of Nigeria has access to high-speed broadband.
“Galaxy Backbone, in collaboration with our sister agency Nigcomsat, is proud to support this vital effort. We are making strides in the phased rollout of this project, and I’m pleased to report that six strategic sites have already been connected across the FCT, Zamfara, and Kwara states.
“The infrastructure we’re establishing today lays the groundwork for future digital services that can significantly uplift local communities.”

The Managing Director of NigComSat, Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen, who was represented by the Executive Director Technical Services, Abiodun Attah, stated that commitment to continue to collaborate with Galaxy Backbone to provide internet connectivity to remote areas especially for the underserved and unserved population.
“Collaboration with local government areas for sustainable processes beyond the project of Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).

“We have a team which is actively engaged to look at other ways in supporting the 774 LGs to generate revenue with the service we are providing beyond the one year,” she said
The Chairman of Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, Justice Nze whose group won the co-create challenge with a smart solution to insecurity challenge in his local government applauded the minister for his donation and pledge.

“I thank the minister because he has provided the sum of two million naira as a seed to solve the insecurity problem in my local government. I want to assure him that I shall use the money, just as he has said, to start to solve the immediate needs of that local government in the area of security.
“It shall be expanded to other communities, local government areas and in fact indeed states where insecurity is prevalent in this country,” he said.

Mr. Innocent Korie of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) of group four which won the co-create challenge, a task to provide a solution that would give Ikeduru LG an effective communication to help the vigilant group in tackling insecurity, said his group came up with a solution to build a co-location app specifically for security purposes.

He said this can go along way to help the LG vigilant group to leverage on the technology for effective communication which will in turn provide quality service in tackling insecurity.