A call has been made for the establishment of an internet and computer technology (ICT) free zone in Rivers State to drive a new economic growth system. The call as the state seeks to establish an ICT policy framework upon which the state would create development.
Other experts have said states in Nigeria should compete amongst each other instead of looking for foreign competition.
Rivers already has an ICT drive which has led to an automated revenue system, digital court filing, e-affidavit system, e-health payment system, etc. The stakeholders now want what they call a functional ICT policy in the sector.
According to the stakeholders, an effective ICT policy is necessary if Rivers State is to progress technologically like other digital economies.
These stakeholders aired their views during a workshop organized by the ICT department of the Rivers State Government at the ICT Centre, Aba Road, Port Harcourt on Thursday.
One of the stakeholders, Obi Obiaso, who spoke on Laying the Foundation for ICT Policy Development’, pointed out that for Rivers State to have a strong ICT infrastructure, everybody and every institution must be involved.
Obiaso who suggested establishment of an ICT free zone to facilitate the actualisation of a digital economy, said the reason why construction companies carelessly destroy ICT facilities during their construction work was because of the non-existence of an ICT policy.
He said a functional ICT policy has many benefits which include provision of a template for a digital economic growth, fast-tracking of technological advancement, provision of protection for ICT facilities and creation of numerous economic opportunities as could be found in technologically advanced countries.
In his own contribution, an ICT expert, Uche Aniche, said he foresaw internal sub-national ICT competition coming, hence the need to focus more on the sub-nationals rather than making comparisons with other nations.
“We’re already far behind. We have to move faster. ICT is an economic enabler. No society can develop when they lose their best brains to other societies. There’s a lot we can do together,” he said.
A representative of Zenith Bank, Ulo Okon, said; “Technology is the new currency of the world; therefore, the need to embrace technology cannot be over-emphasised.” He added that an ICT policy development was something that must be encouraged by all stakeholders. Okon, who said his bank was already partnering with the Rivers State Government.
Uche Uche Okonkwo, who represented the Bank of Industry (BoI), described ICT as the future of the world. The BOI representative, who said it was inspiring to be in the midst of technology-thinking individuals, expressed hope that Nigeria can compete with China if she can fully harness her technology-minded human resources.
For the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Information, Ibiwari Charity Ogolo, technology is important for any society to move forward. She said despite lagging behind technologically, Rivers State would still get there.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the presentations, the Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike on ICT, Asawo Ibifuro, said the workshop was expected to birth ideas on how the ICT policy would be formulated and areas that need to be captured in the policy.
He called on the three tiers of government to invest in ICT to fast-track the growth of the sector, noting that the Covid-19 pandemic had made such investment inevitable. “We want to encourage governments at all levels (local, state and the federal) to begin to invest in ICT.
The Covid -19 pandemic showed the entire world that without ICT there are quite a lot that cannot go forward. So, if we did not invest before that time, this is an opportunity for and an eye-opener for Nigeria to make the right investment so that our local governments, our state, our country will begin to move forward. Without technology, the future remains bleak. If we have any hope as a country to come out of recession and to have virile economy, then we have to invest in ICT,” Ibifuro said.
