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Akwa Ibom will not relent in its effort to build to a new economy based on Information technology, the state governor Obong Victor Attah has said at the just ended Akwa Ibom Science and Technology (AKISTECH) Week/Exhibition in Uyo, the state capital. Obong Attah, who reiterated the commitment of his administration to leave a lasting economic legacy that was less depended on crude oil revenue and more on the dividends of ICT, said his administration in the last seven years had invested heavily in physical ICT infrastructure and human development to build the needed capacity that would leapfrog the state.
Part of this policy thrust had ensured the creation of the Victor Attah Digital Opportunity Centre (VADOC), the creation of a science and Technology Park and the launch of state ICT policy to provide a formal blueprint on the desire of the state to seek its destiny in ICT.
“We have remained committed to building a state that would be driven by information technology because we believe that is the road to go. We have committed resources in trying to achieve this goal because unlike crude oil resource, information technology offers limitless opportunities for socio-economic transformation”, said Governor Attah while formally commissioning two mobile internet units (MIUs) as part of the hallmark of the week-long ceremony geared at raising awareness on ICT in the state.
Representing the Federal Government at the event was the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdullahi Aliyu who canvassed for change in attitude to science and technology. Aliyu asked other states to take a cue from Akwa Ibom and embrace technological changes as well as develop innovative ideas that would improve productivity and efficiency in the science and technology sectors.
According to him, the federal government has put in place various policies to provide the road map for technological development aimed at rapid and sustainable-socio development.
Aliyu described Akwa Ibom State as an emerging pace setter in the nation’s key sectors of science and technology, pointing out that it is among the first states with functional science and technology Ministry.
The building of the MIUs was overseen by Teledom International Limited, a Lagos based IT concern acting as consultant to the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Science and Technology.
According to the state’s Commissioner of Science and Technology Dr. Linus Asuquo, the MIUs would serve to carry the world of information technology to all the 31 local government areas in the state and helped to create the needed awareness on the power of IT to inspire positive changes in the lives of the people.
“Creating links between knowledge generation and enterprise development is one of the most important challenges the state government faces. In the government’s resolve to develop Akwa Ibom State and make it a science and technology domain with special focus on Information Communication Technology, the University of Ibom Science Park Free Zone has been established. The University of Ibom Science Park Free Zone when completed shall definitely reposition Akwa Ibom State on the road map of information super-highway, rapid development, wealth creation, job creation, technology acquisition, commercialization and promotion of techno-entrepreneurial culture”, said Dr. Asuquo.
