Ondo state government is overhauling its Information Technology Agency to become a veritable tool for all her agencies and departments to function effectively.
The Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Information Communication Technology (ICT), Mr Olumbe Akinkugbe while playing host to members of the State House of Assembly Committee on education said, the efforts is to save time and scale down the cost of running government businesses.
Represented by the Secretary of the Agency Mr Olufemi Aladenola, the SSA explained that the goal of government is evident in the ongoing massive training of the workforce in the implementation of State Integrated Financial Management Information System (SIFMIS).
To facilitate the process, Akinkugbe said SITA is developing a template that will reduce the entire state into a small village through ICT with special focus on Education, Health, Agriculture, Security and Revenue Generation.
According to him, the Agency recently conducted a research into the reasons for the mass failure of students in the last Joint Admission and Matriculation Board examinations in the state only to find out that large number of them have no basic knowledge of computer operations.
To prevent the reoccurrence therefore, the SSA informed that the Agency has concluded plans to establish statewide computer based preparatory centers to prepare students for subsequent examinations.
Speaking on other attendant benefits of ICT to the public, Mr Akinkugbe opined that full implementation of e-governance will bring about food security, safety of lives and property and improved revenue generation.
He therefore solicited the cooperation of the House in the speedy passage of the Agency bill before it to enable SITA commence full operation.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Hon. Olusegun Ajimotokin said the visit was to call for the decentralization of SITA operations to enable people at the grassroots access to basic information on matters affecting them.
According to him, people at the rural areas cannot continue to be in the dark and lag behind in the use of ICT to harness God given potentials, human and natural resources in line with the world best practices.
Barrister Ajimotokin representing Irele state constituency assured the Agency of the house’s support to enable it carry out all its functions.
Other members of the Committee include Hon. Fasogbon Akinyele, Hon. Sulaiman Maito, Hon. Sola Ebiwonjumi, Hon. Vincent Obadiah and Hon. Bimbo Fajolu.
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