NeGSt's supervising agency, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), gave the approval following a board meeting of the former on February 16, where it was ratified that the company was ready to deploy some of its solutions commercially. Internal crisis among some top management staff had slowed down its activities even though the solutions were long ready.
Others are eGovernment Platform that integrates government ministries; departments and agencies to enable them share their services or other information among themselves as well as with members of the public.
"The interesting aspect is that these solutions are accessible through the eKiosks that have also been developed by the NeGSt or the regular cybercafés or any internet linked PCs. It was also gathered that NITDA has released the Public Service Network (PSNet) mobile units to NeGSt for immediate deployment to facilitate the interoperability of the databases of the MDAs, the Presidency and the National Assembly", Dr. Agunloye said.
He noted that the company has leveraged on all available information technology infrastructure, software, human and financial resources to evolve an innovative business plan on the private- sector partnership framework to create appropriate "government to government, government to business and government to citizens' interactions and vice-versa".
Dr. Agunloye stated that the main objective was to create people empowerment by aligning NeGSt's objectives with the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the local, regional and global levels for the benefit of all.
As part of steps to implement the e-government initiative, he explained that consideration was given to factors such as existing networks and facilities like the PSNet, Integrated Fiscal and Economic Management Information System (IFEMIS) currently networked to seven major government ministries, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and National Planning Commission (NPC).
Other facilities that were considered in developing the e-government strategies were the e-Infrastructure and e-Applications of state and local governments particularly in the frontline states like Jigawa, Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Ogun and the FCT as well as the emerging on-line culture with electronic registrations for major examination bodies like WAEC, NECO and the JAMB.
The former Power and Steel Minister said further that new opportunities for the Nigeria- SAT3 backbone, Fibre Optic rings being developed by Globacom and NITEL, emerging IT parks, data centres, eVillages, eMails and Wide Area Hotspots (WHAs) as well as the on-going Nigeria Communication Satellite project were also in consideration.
On other benefits of the initiative, Agunloye said the e-government platform would enhance the realization of the objectives of the on-going reform programme, facilitate good return on investment for shareholders in addition to direct impact on meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
On his part, NeGSt head of operations, Mr. Gbenga Adebusuyi, pointed out that the company's roll out was long overdue while it took enough time to incubate the solutions as well as convincing government ministries and agencies to buy-in into the project.
He however, expressed joy that the Nigerian model of the e-government has become the envy of most other African countries as some of them now request the NeGSt's assistance, stressing that a recent demonstration of the capabilities of some of the solutions and strategies in Ghana was overwhelmingly applauded.
Autor: Lere Ojedokun
Quelle: AllAfrica, 27.02.2006
