Extend stimulus fund to ICT - Tizhe

The President, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN)

, Mr. Ibraheem Tizhe, said called on government to invest some of its stimulus funds in mobile phone networks, fibre-optic connections and broadband infrastructure as part of an effort to boost the wider economy.

This could trigger the much economic recovery at this era of economic meltdown, especially for developing country like Nigeria.

Tizhe made this call in Lagos at an evening with Legends of Technology and said that this has become necessary when one considers that the spread of information technology in the country, in particular mobile devices such as phones, laptops among others, have momentous implications on individuals, and the national productivity.

The vast potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), he said, cannot be over-emphasized.

Information Technology (IT), he said, is the revolution that is making waves in the world presently because of its capacity in changing the lives of all and sundry.

“It has become a tool for building a better life through the acquisition of knowledge and experience. It is also a weapon for participating in global markets, promoting of political accountability, improving the delivery of basic services; and enhancing local development opportunities,” he said.

Equally, the newly elected CPN president, said, ICT has the potential of eradicating poverty and it could assist tremendously in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“It is against this background that we need to look forward to Information Technology for speedy economic recovery from the present recession that is affecting our economy,” he said.

According to Tizhe who presided at the occasion, the World Bank projected recently that Information Technology would be responsible on a scale of 70/30 for determining real growth in most countries from 2015.

“It further hinted that by 2020, the most critical factor that would separate developed economies from non-developed ones would be the existence or otherwise of Information Technology,” he said.

Stressing that this explains why government should continue to partner with Information Technology professionals to come up with a comprehensive IT policy direction that would serve as operating guide.

This document, he pointed out would be reviewed from time to time to conform with the realities of the time.

“With innovative and dynamic IT policies, a country could leapfrog from being an IT consuming nation to an IT producing one. A good example is the Asian Tigers, Malaysia, Singapore, India to name a few, who have recorded giant strides in Information Technology,” he noted.

Therefore, he said, that through proper policy direction on Information Technology, the aforementioned Asian countries were able to move from the status of a backward nation to that of the fastest developing economies in the world.

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