NITDA Seeks States’ IT Policies Adoption

The National Information
Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called for the adoption of individual state’s Information Technology (IT) policies by the 36 states government in the country.
In a statement last Monday in Abuja and signed by its Director General, Peter Jack, the agency said by the adoption of individual state IT policy, each state in the federation will be able to position its Information Technology as the main driver of their priority areas.
Jack said the process would accelerate ICT development across the country and bridge the gap in Information and Communication Technology through the individual state programmes and policies targeted at developing their technology and its usage.
The NITDA boss said the country had made much progress in its ICT, but there is still need for renewed moves, focus and activities to ensure that the tempo generated is further strengthened.
The statement added that NIDA had embarked on infrastructural development and human capacity development project across the country in fulfillment of its mandates.
The agency said it was pushing the country forward  through the establishment of Rural Information Technology Centres (RITC), Mobile Internet Units, Virtual Libraries, Software Development Centres, IT Parks, IT infrastructure for tertiary institutions and public service network among others.
The agency said the RITC project is aimed at bringing IT to the doorsteps of Nigerians by ensuring that the underserved areas get access to IT infrastructure, stressing that the agency has established over 395 centres since it commenced the  project in 2009.
The agency boss explained that the RITCs are built to provide a community-based platform for youth empowerment through e-learning and capacity building in Information Technology and Community-based Trainings in IT-enabled outsourcing and promoting equitable access to assets (education information and technology).
He said each centre was equipped with computers and accessories, internet facilities with alternative power source provided via solar energy for the effective operations of the centres.