Rivers Opens 35 ICT Centres …Trains 1,000 Civil Servants

The Rivers State Information Communication Technology Department (ICT) has opened 35 ICT centres and facilities to train civil servants in the state as part of government’s efforts to empower and train the workforce.
This was disclosed yesterday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on ICT, Mr Goodlife Nmekini during the launching of a web portal by the government , noting that no fewer than 1,000 civil servants have so far been trained in the use of information communication technology (ICT) in the state.
Considering the importance attached to ICT, Mr Nmekini said government business would be done effectively, adding that all permanent secretaries in the state have been presented with laptops as well.
With the launch of the web portal, plans to connect the state secretariat has commenced in earnest. The project consists of a data centre made possible by an inter-building fibre cable that would connect all offices and blocks in the complex.
The Tide gathered that the scheme is being done in conjunction with Wimax Project and is aimed at raising the capacity of civil servants to provide better service to the public and the world at large.
Nwekini had earlier told course participants of the national defence college, Abuja on tour in the state that his office plans to establish a youth technology club in schools across the state.
This he explained would boost and provide budding workforce that would drive the e-governance scheme.
To make the dream realizable, he stated that the state government is acquiring about a 100 hectares of land at an undisclosed site in the state for a new ICT centre.
The centre when established would provide training and manpower development, in addition to the new two ICT centres now being constructed in conjunction with Zenith Bank at Aba Road, Port Harcourt.