NIG Tasks States, LGs On ICT Dev

The President of Nigeria
Internet Group (NIG), Mr Bayo Banjo, has urged  states and local councils to get more involved in the development of ICT.
Banjo,  told newsmen in Lagos that the involvement of states and local governments in ICT development would help to bridge the digital divide before 2020.
The official said it was wrong to leave the development of the sector solely in the hands of the Federal Government.
Banjo said that the involvement of state and local governments would ensure that Nigerians had access to adequate ICT facilities in every part of the country.
The expert said that the sector had made tremendous progress in the last 12 years and had remained the fastest- growing sector of the country’s economy.
Banjo said that some states governments were yet to fully tap into ICT programmes and training to drive ICT knowledge in their domains.
“Development of ICT in the states will complement the various efforts being made by the government at advancing a coordinated ICT policy development.
“Technology can only be strengthened with the collaboration of state institutions and organs responsible for ICT in those states to key into the various development policies,’’ he said.
The expert said that with just a few states investing in the sector, the gap between states had continued to widen in terms of development.
Banjo urged the states and local government to formulate policies that would make primary pupils to become computer literate.
He advised states governments to introduce ICT into the school curricula, while the primary schools should be involved in the catch- them- young programmes.
“The state governments should introduce ICT into the school curricula, especially at the primary school level to catch- them- young for the country to meet with the global competiveness
“Knowledge in ICT should not be limited to secondary schools and institutions of higher learning if the country must attain its vision 20:2020,” he said.