By Paul Effiong
The Executive Chairman, Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dr Muheeba Dankaka, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the completion and inauguration of eight Digital Economy Centres (DEC) across the country.
Dankaka made the commendation at the virtual inauguration ceremony of the DEC centres, including that of the FCC Headquarters’ office on Thursday, in Abuja.
The inauguration was done by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.
The FCC boss recalled that President Buhari had at the 2019 edition of the Nigeria Conference on Exhibition and Awards, directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to set up Digital Transformation Technology Group (DT-TWGS).
She noted that the DT-TWGS initiative was responsible for coordinating and implementation of Nigeria’s E-Government Master Plan (NEGMP) by the Federal Government.
The primary aim of this directive and subsequent regulatory instrument, according to Dankaka, is to guide the implementation of IT projects in the public sectors in an effort to leverage digital technologies for government service delivery and innovations.
Commending Pantami for his efforts in digital innovation, Dankaka said it was imperative for Nigerians to note that the world had gone digital in all aspects, hence the need for all government activities to key into the initiative for efficient delivery of services, to boost the nation’s economy agenda.
In line with the Federal Government’s approval for Nigeria’s NEGMP and its Digital Economy Agenda, the FCC boss explained that the National Information Technology Development Agency, established DEC and E-learning facilities at the commission’s headquarters.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank President Buhari, the communication minister and NITDA for considering the commission as one of the beneficiaries of this Federal Government’s initiative,” Dankaka said.
Earlier, the Communication Minister, Pantami said that digital economy was a core driver of innovation, competitiveness and economic growth adding that no nation could build a digital economy without a constant pool of highly qualified creative talents.
He, however, noted that knowledge institutions played a critical role in the development of the digital economy as they served as centres for generation and impartation of new knowledge to citizens.
The projects inaugurated included E-Accessible centre in Bauchi State for orphans and vulnerable children school and E-Learning facilities at Ogba Grammar School, Lagos.
Others were E-Learning facilities at St. Paul Secondary School, Enugu and Emergency Communication Centre in Benue.
Also inaugurated was an E-Health/Data Sharing project at Abdulrahman Hospital, Daura, in Katsina and E-Accessibility centre Alderstown School for the deaf, Warri in Delta.
Pantami also inaugurated a Virtual Examination Centre, College of Education, Argungu in Kebbi State and a DEC and E-Learning facility at FCC headquarters in Abuja.
