Speaking in Abuja at the start of a two-day conference on National e-Government Strategies and Implementation for Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo said, "the overall thrust of our mission is to generate internal effectiveness and efficiency to provide better services for the governed while remaining transparent, accountable and compact." According to Obasanjo "Government will set up National Committees to streamline and standardise all issues related to ICT and e-Government applications at the Federal level, including minimum standards to be met by each Ministry or agency."
Obasanjo enjoined all tiers of government to join this campaign by setting up their own State Information Technology Development Agency, SITDA or its equivalent and also developing all encompassing programmes involving the State Assemblies, Local Government Councils, Judiciaries and the citizens.
"Apart from being the vehicle for developing and strengthening the National Information and Communication Infrastructure and its Architecture, e-Government permeates seamlessly through activities involving Government-to-Government, Government-to-Business and Government-to-Citizens. This is ensured through e-Tourism, e-Judiciary, e-Agriculture, e-Taxation, e-Revenue, e-Pricing, e-Procurement, e-Learning etc.
Also at the event, the Minister of the Federal Capital Ministry, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, said his ministry is budgeting the sum of N200 million to commence its ICT programme with the hope that within the next two years, not only the Ministry but also the whole of Abuja would be wired.
"Work has begun to change our ministry from the Ministry of 83,000 employees and 400 computers to one of less of x number of employees with the same number of computers, with computers on each desk."
The Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr Labaran Maku while agreeing to the several benefits of ICT added, "Employing ICT is no longer a choice, it is a necessity."
He said the use of ICT in public administration and other processes requires a steady power supply system. This issue is very vital to the e-Government success.
Quelle: This Day News, 09.03.2004
