Invest 50% debt relief gains on IT - Uwaje

CHAIRMAN, Connect Technologies Limited, Mr. Chris Uwaje, has advised President Olusegun Obasanjo to reinvest 50 per cent of the recently secured debut relief gains from the Paris Club of creditors into power/energy infrastructure and Information Technology (IT).

ITrealms recalls that Paris Club granted the nation, about $18 billion debt relief, which amounted to 60 per cent debt owed the body by the federal government.

He who spoke in Lagos, recommended that 50 per cent of the $18b gains be reinvested into these two sectors which he described as core engines that would drive and sustain the economic development and wealth creation agenda.

This, he said, is imperative given the new vision of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) led by its newly appointed Director-General, Prof. Cleopas Officer Angaye.

According to Mr. Uwaje who is the chairman, events and trade services committee at the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the new vision tends toward establishing formidable Information Technology foundation in the polity.

“This also presupposes that NITDA needs a robust operational structure for the attainment of the estimated net-in target,” he asserted.

Mr. Uwaje noted that going by available records, the new vision deserves all the stakeholders support both home and abroad.

Pointing out that the vision needed resources to fortify and sustain the implementation processes.

IT, he observed represents and remained the last hope of the continent to regain her lost glory in the evolution of human civilization.

Therefore, Nigeria being central to this solution, must embrace IT holistically via implementations.

Warning that missions and visions of the African Union (AU), New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), National Economic Empowerment Development Strategies (NEEDS) and its state’s subsidiary, SEEDS may not succeed with IT knowledge base empowered by political will and legislative mechanism.