Gov. Uzodinma to establish Digital Economy Ministry in Imo State
Governor Hope Uzodinma is on the verge of making a giant stride in Imo State with the establishment of Ministry of Digital Economy and E- Government, the very first in Nigeria and perhaps in West Africa.
This ministry will be saddled with the responsibility of making the state the digital capital of Nigeria.
According to the state government, the Ministry will work as part of Governor’s over all transformation agenda for the Imo State.
This will be achieved by building smart cities which leverages digital technology to drive governance, innovation and entrepreneurship while promoting value creation and prosperity for all.
The digital project aims to train 100,000 youth, women and people living with disabilities in core 21st century skills in software development, blockchain, game development and other technical vocational skills, facilitate Broadband Penetration in all LGAs of Imo State.
The ministry is expected to Improved Broadband penetration and coverage, Increased e-Government activities, Improved Digital inclusion and literacy levels.
“The Ministry will be an enabler and a one-stop-shop for digital knowledge acquisition for the entire state operation.
“The Ministry plans to train other Ministries on tech skills for the new Imo state that will run operations on technology and thus, be able to maximize resources for development,” said a statement from the state government.
To lead this digital revolution is a silent achiever who has been leading Digital mapping in Nigeria through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), a young energetic and highly talent Dr Chimezie Amadi .
He has been named as Hon. Commissioner Digital Economy and E-Government by Governor Hope Uzodinma.
Dr Amadi, an Assistant Director at the NCC has impressive educational attainment. He attended several training programmes on 5G: The Path to Next Generation; Digital Transformation: Unlocking the Potential of IoT; Enabling the Full Value of Wireless Technology: Game Changing Technology For the Digital Age; and Ethics Intelligence, among others.
At the NCC, Dr Amadi worked in various Departments which include: Administration , Procurement, South-West Zonal operations where he headed the Enforcement, Licensing and Consumer Affairs Units as well as in Research and Development Department where he headed the Emerging Technologies Research Unit creatures with several publications.
These towering strides gave him the opportunity to design and organise nationwide stakeholder fora in the ICT space to facilitate ACADOPRENEUR, which is a collaboration between Academia and Industry.
Setting the new ministry on a high pedestal, Amadi being a very detailed man has already mapped out what his actions will be in the new within a year. Dr Amadi’s document includes Action Steps, Timelines, Deliverables and expected outcomes.
Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government under him, he said, “will animate the Startup ecosystem by creating enabling environment that facilitate groundbreaking innovations that will address societal challenges, enhance efficient service delivery while plugging the holes in Government budget for Revenue assurance.
“For instance: Crowd-source Broadband Penetration and efficiency across all towns, villages and LGAs in Imo State.
“Facilitate Broadband Penetration to Underserved and Unserved locations in Imo State via private sector partnerships, deployment of state-owned fibre highway for interconnection of business districts, communities and LGAs.”
