Secretary to Government of the Federation & State Governors Commend Galaxy Backbone, Endorse NICEP as the Platform for Knowledge Economy
Secretary to Government of the Federation & State Governors Commend Galaxy Backbone, Endorse NICEP as the Platform for Knowledge Economy
Galaxy Backbone Plc has been commended for commitment to driving national development through the provision of ICT infrastructure and services to rural and underserved communities that would lead to the attainment of the benefits of digital inclusion and the achievement of the MDGs, the key objectives of the 7-point Agenda and Vision 20: 2020.
The commendation was made by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and State Governments under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum during the 3rd Public Sector ICT Infrastructure Forum & National Stakeholders’ Forum on NICEP which took place in Abuja.
In the keynote speech delivered on behalf of the SGF via video conference by Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed stated that the event, “is epochal as this will be the first time in the history of our great country that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) would be delivering a keynote address to such an important national forum using a video conference facility. At this juncture, I must commend Galaxy Backbone for this wonderful initiative which is a confirmation of the quality of its leadership”.
Alhaji Ahmed described the impact of ICT on human development over the past 10 to 15 years as dramatic and stating that societies around the world have rapidly developed, leveraging ICT as an enabler. He made reference to the fact that globally governments of both developed and developing economies have been able to positively affect the lives of their people through the effective use of ICTs as a tool for reforming their economies and enabling effective solutions for national development.
According to him, that was precisely the reason for the incorporation of Galaxy Backbone Plc in 2006 by the Federal Government and the subsequent handing over the implementation of the National Information Communication and Education Programme (NICEP) to the company. Alhaji Ahmed therefore called on State Governments and the Federal Capital Territory Authority to take full advantage of the investment made by the Federal Government in NICEP to provide digital access to citizens in all locations; improve quality of education and healthcare; support growth of internally generated revenue; enhance government to citizen interaction; cost control and management as well as employment generation and poverty alleviation.
Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum in his speech stated that the current political dispensation at the state level is committed to efficient and transparent governance for which ICT is a quick and an effective enabler. He expressed the confident that the various developmental initiatives in education, health, agriculture and economic empowerment being undertaken by all the States of the Federation can be accelerated by the application of appropriate ICT tools. He then urged the State Governments on the need to constructively partner with Galaxy Backbone Plc to develop and build their State Information Infrastructure (SII).
Earlier in his welcome address, Gerald Ilukwe, Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone Plc said that the Federal Government, through Galaxy Backbone (a company currently wholly-owned by the Federal Government), wishes to partner with State Governments in order to extend the reach of NICEP services to cover all State Capitals and Local Governments in the country.
Signed,
For: Galaxy Backbone Plc
Franklyn Ginger-Eke
Manager, Corporate Communication
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