Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has commended the Federal Government for the implementation of the pilot local councils’ digital connectivity project in the state.
The commendation was contained in a statement, at the weekend, by the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr Chimezie Amadi.
Uzodimma lauded the speed with which the pilot project was implemented, noting that the initiative would enhance efficient governance at local council level and boost public service delivery, thereby stimulating socio-economic development at the grassroots.
The pilot phase of the project has already been implemented in five Ikeduru, Oru East, Isu, Oguta and Ehime Mbano local councils.
Implementation of the project in the remaining 22 local councils in the state would take place in the next three months when the second phase takes off, the state government informed.
The Federal Government’s digital connectivity project implemented by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy is aimed at connecting the 774 local councils in the country to a single national digital network through fibre infrastructure and satellite technology.
Essence of the project is to enable local council secretariats have access to digital public infrastructure, thereby bridging inherent digital gaps to better the local council and the other two tiers of government.
Uzodimma expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for accomplishing Project 774 in five Imo local councils, noting that the project would reinforce his Imo Digital Economy Agenda, designed to ensure the development of a robust Imo digitalisation process, whereby communities, institutions and business clusters would have enormous and uninterrupted access to the digital services.
Amadi assured that his ministry would deepen the gains of Project 774 in the state by partnering the federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to fast-track Uzodimma’s connected Imo Initiative, which aims at ensuring ubiquitous broadband connectivity across all communities in the state.
Noting that Uzodimma is leading digital revolution in the state, making Imo to be ahead of other states in the digital space, he reassured of the preparedness of his ministry to embrace any innovative initiative geared towards making Imo digitally empowered, accessible and efficient.
Directors of Administration and General Services of the five Imo local councils have recounted the gains the project yielded in their various domains since implementation.
Mrs Ngozi Chucks-Osuji of Ehime Mbano and Chief Bede Ugboaja of Isu noted that communications and local security had improved since the advent of the project.
Phil Manu of Ikeduru and Victor Ayozie of Oguta disclosed that the project had engendered proficiency and productivity in local council administration.
