Expert Makes Case For ICT, Urges MDAs To Embrace It

President, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, has urged Human Resource Managers/Chief Executives Officers in Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to embrace Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the digital revolution.

Ajiya, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the institute, also enjoined those in the private sector to key into ICT as Nigeria prepares to launch the 5G network in January.

He said this during a meeting with Human Resources Managers and Training Executives, organised by the institute at its headquarters in Abuja.

The DBI President stressed the urgent need for Nigerians to key into the digital world, declaring that the future is digital.

He added that with the emergence of COVID-19, a new normal, and new ways of doing things have emerged through ICT and Digital Communications.

He pointed out that the DBI, created and fully owned by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), was established since 2004 to build capacity in telecommunications, ICT and the new technology.

Prof. Ajiya added that as an institution placed to train people and raise capacity, it was necessary to meet with the Human Resource Managers and Training Executives across all the sectors of the economy in order to “share what we thought the future should be, what the immediate needs will be and probably learn from you and we hope also that you take this to your organizations.

The DBI CEO stated that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the launch of 5G in the country, adding: “the 5G that we are talking about, the policy which has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently had already been launched in several countries. With the 5G, we are going to get so many things connected together and the future is data. So, we thought as an institution placed to train people, to raise capacity we should share what we thought the future should be.”

He stated: “The Digital Bridge Institute is a creation of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), so the institute has been in existence since year 2004 and it’s hundred per cent owned by the NCC. The main purpose of establishing this institute is to build the capacity in telecommunications, ICT and the new technology.

“We call it Human Resource Day because we invited heads of Human Resource to come and share with us and we share with them what we do and take you into what the future will be.  We are now at the verge of what we call the Digital Revolution, some call it Industrial Revolution. We are all aware that with the emergence of COVID-19, we now have what we call the new normal, working from home or from anywhere, and not necessarily in the office.

“This is showing to us a bit of what the future holds. The future really is digital. In few years to come, the way we work now will not be the way we are going to be working, there will be overtaken by the new way of doing things. The way of doing things hinges around technology, the information technology.”

For you to utilize information technology, for you to use it, you must be conversant with the tools that you will use in processing and using the information technology.”

These tools are nothing but the computer and when I say computer, it does not necessarily mean these desktop or laptop. Our phones are also computer, and, in many cases, they are even more powerful. So, the future, whether we like it or not is going to be digital, it is coming, and we must embrace it.”

Also speaking, the Chairman, Board of DBI, Olusegun Gbeleyi, commended the Human Resources managers for believing in DBI to be trainer for their various institutions.

Gbeleyi, who was a former Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, assured them of DBI’s readiness to help them improve on their ICT knowledge with its world class facilities and arrays of professional tutors.

He said: “I want to reassure you that we are ready to take you to the next level.  We want to partner with you and ensure that we provide adequate and efficient training in digital and telecom studies to meet the global standard of e­-economy.

“Everything now is being driven digitally, the COVID-19 has opened our eyes when for the first time globally executive council, cabinet meetings of nations are being held virtually. This was not happening before and so many other things can be achieved by these devices and we want to encourage that every department understand this and allow the process of your work be done by digital process.”