ICT4D action plan due in September

Remmy Nweke

FINAL draft of the National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategic Action Plan, otherwise known as ICT4D, is due for completion in September this year.

Indications to this effect, follows the recent review of the draft 2 by a renowned ICt consultant commissioned by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Prof. Clement Dzidonu.

The Action Plan is the government’s response at having practicable and sustainable plans to execute specific ICT policies in all sectors of national life from health, national security to education and agriculture among others.

The ICT Strategic committee oversees the draft and is led by chief executive officer of Alteq (ICT) Limited, Dr Armstrong Takang, who took over from Prof A. Adekunle of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who has since been given another national assignment.

The draft when finalized is expected to provide the roadmap for the nation’s entry into the Information Society, offering strategic guidance on the deployment of ICT in all sectors, and help harmonise various private and public sector ICT initiatives towards attaining the goals of the NEEDS, Nigeria’s socio-economy vision.

The committee, which meets this week in Abuja, would further review work level so far. Briefing members at its last meeting Prof. Dzidonu assured the leadership of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) that the committee will not only complete the assignment but would achieve the utmost result.

He said that the UN perceives Nigeria as a major component of Africa and that ICT development in the country will impact greatly on other nations on the continent.

Prof. Dzidonu equally recalled the contributions of the pioneering Director General (DG) of NITDA, late Prof. Gabriel Ajayi in the development of ICT Ghana, which he is committed to pay back.

It could be recollected that the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof Isoun Turner initially constituted the committee almost three years ago with members drawn from cross sections of the society, cutting across the academia, the private sector, federal ministries and agencies, civil societies and the media, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and the Computer Professional Registrations Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN).

It was also gathered that work slowed down owing to inadequate funding to finance the various programmes designed by the different sub-committees that make up the committee, but the committee’s work was re-energised as a result of the UNECA support.

The sub-committees include Human Resource Development, ICT Popularization & Deployment in Rural Areas, Infrastructure, National Security & Law Enforcement, Health and Commerce among others.

Members and resource persons include Mr. Adeolu Odusote, Prof. Charles Akinyokun of Bell of Bell University, Dr John Dada of Fauntsuam Foundation, Imo Ukpong of Oracle, Dalhatu Hamza of the US Embassy, Dipo Bali, Ajibola Ajijola of the Presidency, Vincent Olatunji of NITDA, Segun Oruame of Knowledge Media, Mr. S.A. Adedeji, and Dr. Ado Danusa among others.

The resource person in each sub-committee is expected to work with the head of the sub-committee and members to produce the draft document.