The importance of Information, communication and technology (ICT) cannot be undermined in the wake of the 21st century Nigerian society. With ICT, public and private institutions can make life easier for all. ICT have proved to be increasingly fundamental to the socio-economic development of any nation.
The lack of appropriate information at the right time will result in low productivity. ICT has become an integral part of everyday life for many people, to the extent that ICT literacy has become a functional requirement for people's work, social and personal life.
As new technological and scientific breakthrough takes man a step in the drive to attain a fully digitalized and globalized world, man must also take a step further in equipping oneself with these new ICT tools which are constantly changing every day.
In Ondo state, the Akeredolu led administration knowing the value of ICT to the socio-political and economic life the state since inception till date has invested huge amount to the ICT development which can be verified through budget provision, budget implementation, infrastructure, skill building coupled with host other innovative programs and projects.
The Ondo state government led by his Excellency, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu through the office of the Ondo state information Technology Agency (SITA), in partnership with the American Tower Cooperation (ATC) has established five digital village projects in the state which are located in each of the three senatorial districts of the state. These digital villages were born out of the desire of the Akeredolu led administration to see that young school leavers and unemployed graduates are well engaged in ventures that will them out of the search for white collar jobs and aerobic cycle of poverty through digital skills.
Also these Digital villages would serve as a training center for them, preparing them for the 21st century ICT demands and to acquire entrepreneurial skills.
Furthermore, the state government has taken its desire to see that ICT skills of its populace are boosted through the creation of the Akure Techhub. This is a resource based center within the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) campus, which is accessible to over 20,000 students in the state.
The Akure Techhub was designed to serve as a hub for researchers, innovators and scientists to meet and collaborate on ideas that can solve societal problems in turn creating social enterprise.
It is also worthy to note that the Ondo state government has not only limited its activities among the youths alone, but has also seen to it that other sectors in the state have equally been affected by these tremendous ICT drive.
The state government in its bid to see to an enhanced and effective management of health information data which is key to the delivery of qualitative healthcare has seen to the training of health workers in the state on the use of ICT tools.
Adding to this training, the state government has distributed 362 data management tools known as Clinipak tablets to health care workers to enhance primary healthcare delivery across the 18 local government of the state.
Through the use of these Clinipak tablets, health facilities in the state has moved from just collecting and reporting patients data to leveraging on mobile solutions for improved decision from facility level to the policy making level.
Also, the state government through SITA, has successfully developed websites for the state government, State Scholarship Board, Signage and Advertisement Board among others. These moves have gone a long way in opening up channels for accessing information for the general public on issues relating to the activities of the state government and other agencies related.
Another highly commendable move of the state governor is its moves which are strategized towards making youths and other young school leavers in the state employable.
Through the office of Innovations and Partnership, youths across the 18 local governments in the state has been fully engaged in a career path program which was tailored to enhance the ICT skills of the participants. In another partnership of the Office of innovation and partnership with Facebook, young business owners were trained on the effective usage of the social media as a veritable tool for enhancing and promoting business.
Adding more flair to the contributions of the Akeredolu led administration, the office of the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Betty- Anyanwu Akeredolu through the Annual "Bemore Summer Bootcamp for Girls in Naija" has trained over One thousand girls in ICT, Solar renewable energy and other skills acquisitions programs.
There is no doubt that the progress and development of any society rest on its drive and ability to compile with the global technological advancements especially in the digital world, in the light of this, the activities of the Akeredolu led administration must be highly commended, as it has proved greatly intentional in its bid to creating a highly sustainable economy through the use of information, communication and technology.
Marcus Amudipe
CITADEL TOWER
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