FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki said the reforms initiated by his administration in the digital and technology space in the last eight years had revolutionised the state.
Obaseki spoke at the launch of Edo State Digital Policy and Edo Data Centre, which is the first data centre owned by a state in Nigeria.
Noting that the reforms had repositioned Edo as a leading state in digital inclusion in Nigeria, the governor noted that government is leveraging technology as a catalyst for socio-economic development and inclusive growth.
“The future is digital. It will be difficult to navigate the world today without technology. If you want to develop and grow rapidly, you must begin to think of how to use technology.
“The advancement of technology in the world today is scary. So, just imagine those who have not started yet; I don’t think they can live in the future world. In Edo, we have always been ahead in our history. We have been a knowledgeable people as we interacted at a global level over 500 years ago.
“To catch up, we had to do something else and different. That was why from the beginning, it was clear to us that we had to introduce technology and make sure that we begin to retrain our young ones, the youths, to own this digital world and the confidence in it.
“We have moved Edo into the digital superhighway and to operate on that level, they must know the rules and be guided by certain rules and practices. That is what we are doing today. This will enable everybody understand the shape of this highway and what they need to do.
“I had the privilege of working with young people in Edo State and together, we set up EdoJobs and Edo Innovate Hub and these have helped our young people. Till date, over 50,000 young men and women have benefited from various trainings and programmes from Edo Innovate. We have been lucky to build a digital ecosystem which has grown rapidly.
“I am proud today of what we have done in Edo State which is all-encompassing as no aspect of government has not been digitized or in the process of digitisation. All government jobs have been digitised and it is not difficult to operate in Edo as files cannot get missing again,” he said.
On the launch of the data center, Obaseki noted that it is like a warehouse were data is store for people and government which can support as many businesses in Edo State and the South-South.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Digital Economy, Science and Technology, Ifaluyi-Isibor said the goal of the state is to create an environment where digital technology takes the lead, as it’s digital policy would promote purposeful governance.
