By 
By Abdulrahm Ponzin Musa
Exactly a year ago today, His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Simon Bako Lalong, Esq., appointed Mr. David Daser to provide leadership for the newly created Plateau State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (PICTDA) as Director General and within this period, there has been several upward drives in work related activities at the agency. Good office ambience, upward staff morale and motivation, work tools, respect and respectability from sector operators.
Further, with the unwavering support of the governor, directors and staff, PICTDA is now on an unrivaled drive to deliver on its mandate.
“With the Silicon Plateau Project and its flagship programme known as Code Plateau, the agency has continued to improve on the digital skills of our compatriots by providing the relevant trainings for them to be software developers and IT gurus.”
Let me use this opportunity to say Thank You to His Excellency, The Executive Governor for instilling confidence in this hardworking gentleman.
There are several highlights of some of the robust changes underpinned by the current administration at PICTDA.
Immediately after he assumed leadership, he
undertook substantial organization of the agency. The thrust behind that move
stemmed from the fact that the agency was not well equipped with the challenges
ahead of it.
Accessibility of ICT services has increased statewide; several underserved and
unserved local government areas now enjoy services – the agency is improving on
its partnership with rural communities through the ‘PICTDA on the wheels’
project.
The agency has ensured a fairer and non-discriminatory structure in improving on the agency’s visibility, and ICT adoption has surged dramatically due to the designing of programs by their outreach unit with the ultimate aim of improving awareness.
Now, government has recognized the need of taking the agency closer to the people so as to improve their understanding on the mandate of the agency and providing the opportunity for youth in the state.This strategy has helped in making informed choices on services rendered by the agency.
With the Silicon Plateau Project and its flagship programme known as Code Plateau, the agency has continued to improve on the digital skills of our compatriots by providing the relevant trainings for them to be software developers and IT gurus.
Code Plateau envisions to kit young people beyond the school walls; to re-skill Plateau youths interested in kick starting their careers in IT. The initiative also envisions preparing a fruitful future for those in our tertiary institutions, to prepare them for the job market by providing them with a collaborative learning environment and all-around support from technical to industry job readiness. This is no doubt a world class initiative by the director general himself and well supported by the Plateau State Government with the DG that recognizes ICT as an important driver of national socio-economic transformation. That is why himself and the team at the agency are poised to provide fair regulation while coordinating with relevant stakeholders to provide connectivity for all, digital inclusion and affordability, and leaving no one behind.
David Daser has continued to ensure robust partnership with all relevant individuals, companies to ensure Plateau State is put on the map as the number one ICT hub in Nigeria.
Plateau on the global ICT map
On the international front, Plateau state is fast regaining its rightful place and inking itself a viable place in the ICT sector through PICTDA’s new reforms. Quite recently, at the GITEX in Dubai with the theme “Synergizing the Mind and Technology Economy” in which he was one of the panelists, the PICTDA’s boss offered rich insights into how the state was leveraging technology to create capacity and revenue outside of the national dependency on crude oil export. GITEX is the third largest ICT event in the world annually hosting more than 200, 000 people from over 150 countries.
The DG shared the governor’s roadmap for youth development and tourism growth leaning on technology.
The GITEX Technology Week for 2019 focused on several vertical industry areas form which Plateau State could benefit, key amongst them were:
• The Digital Economy
• Universal Connectivity
• 4G Deployment
• Internet Governance
• Over The Top Services
• Cybersecurity
• Emerging Technologies
• Data Protection
• Privacy and Mining, and,
• Digital Terrestrial Television Switchover
At the just ended eNigeria 2019 conference organised by the federal government’s IT clearinghouse, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the PICTDA’s boss boldly stated that the “PICTDA on the Plateau is the first and only state with a deliberate effort towards the development of ICT in Nigeria. Ours is an ICT development agency and not an ICT agency.”
PICTDA identifies with Governor Lalong’s vision to see ICT as an important driver of national socio-economic transformation and the DG and his team at the agency are poised to provide fair regulation and coordinate with relevant stakeholders to in order to ensure connectivity for all. The agency has set off plans to digitally integrate all sectors within state.
The Director General’s effort and exemplary outstanding performance is visible for all to see as there is a positive turn of events at the agency and the state as a whole.
We the youths on the Plateau are so proud of your exemplary leadership as a young man trying so hard to make a change in our society. We are greatly emboldened by your vision and forward thrust with a mission to set the pace for not just our generation, but for a fair attempt at gaining the lights from posterity.
You have hit the ground running and with more responsibilities, we offer you our support and render our complete admiration.
Best wishes, sir even as we congratulate His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Simon Bako Lalong, for choosing a youth among us to join in actualizing his progressive agenda for the state.
