His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State of Delta State make history recently as perhaps the first and only state governor in the Federal Republic of Nigeria to acquire the e-Government certification.
In line with Global standards, 21st century leadership and century leadership and governance is incomplete, inadequate and indeed governance is incomplete, inadequate and indeed unproductive without digital proficiency in e-Government.
Global assumptions on the emerging information society (IS), point to the fact that the ICT Policy and e-Government Domain will be the main battle field for 21st Century globalization, democratic government and national survivability.
This “paradigm shift” makes the education of future leaders is of high priority and a strategic imperative for all nations – as we approach the critical path of the 21 st century. This e-Government Leadership Certificate Program for the Political Class is designed to assist policy and decision makers achieve a dynamic and positive solution to crisis-prone challenges in governance.
According to UNESCO, ‘Government’ refers to the exercise of political, economic and administrative authority in the management of a country’s affairs, including the articulation of citizens’ interests and the exercise of their legal rights and obligations. ((CAFRAD), and UNESCO)
‘e-Government’ should therefore be understood as the art of implementing governance by adopting, deploying and applying Information and Communications Technology to enhance productivity and effective performance – using electronic media facilities and devices to accelerate the efficient, speedy and transparent delivery of information content and Data to business sector, the public and other agencies, and above all, for carrying out government-to-government administrative activities.
e-Government is therefore a new way of formulating, organising and implementing decisions and policies relating to administration, services, public inclusion, participation and citizens safety using ICT as a tool for building trust in governments and improved transparency and service delivery. ((CAFRAD) and UNESCO).
e-Government Certificate Training at Delta State Innovation Hub is a facility for world class e-Government certification training. In order to accelerate the speedy access and diffusion of the benefits of the knowledge economy, it has become critical for both Federal and State governments – through the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) – to make e-Government Certification process mandatory for all current and intending policy makers, civil servants in MDAs and others.
According to the Executive Governor of Delta State – Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in his special remarks, “In driving the State’s economy, we are developing an innovation and science agenda as a key component in bridging the huge gaps and deficiencies in our education, health, industry, entertainment, governance, social and state security systems. The State aims to achieve this through a Private-Public-Partnership model strategy on innovation development. In this regards, we have resolved to partner with Mobile Software Solutions Limited, a renowned content solutions provider in the Information and Communications Technology industry and the winner of World Summit Award 2014 for Africa Best Mobile Content Developer in the Life-Style and Entertainment category. Delta State Innovation Hub – DS-IHUB – can attain noble heights if we put our minds to work. In moving this project forward, we will rely on the support and patronage of Delta State citizens at home and in the Diaspora, entrepreneurs, the academia, students, industry leaders, stakeholders, and indeed, all friends of Delta State, to ensure that this enviable knowledge venture is not only successful, but significantly beneficial to all concerned and sustainable for generations yet unborn. We realize that our success story will be dependent on how much support and partnership we get out there. We must pay glowing tributes as a State to Zenith Bank Plc, for donating this complex, and look forward to partnership with as many that may wish to develop positive minds for our greater tomorrow. Going forward, we will need a framework for innovation development and upscaling.
We will therefore:
I Establish a Delta State Innovation Development Fund – IDF. All donors to this fund will be recognized and honoured.
- Encourage all youths to acquire computer skills.
iii. Encourage e-governance and digital literacy skills in the civil service and other institutions.
iv. Our land administration is being fully digitalized, with greater ease of doing business.”
