‘2025 the Year of ICT Advancement’ – Implementation of Governor Mutfwang’s Declaration Begins

Following the declaration of 2025 as ‘the year of technological advancement’ by Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, significant moves have been initiated in the implementation of the ICT vision of the governor, providing ample opportunity for the acquisition of ICT skills. These moves have been championed by the Plateau State Information and Communication Development Agency (PICTDA), led by the Director Genenral of the agency Mr Dominic Gwaman Datong. Speaking at the launching of a new ICT Center provided by the Executive Chairman of Jos North Local Government Council Hon John Kyohroh Christopher, Mr Datong commended the initiative by the Council Chairman, stressing that it is inline with the ICT vision of Governor Mutfwang for the state for 2025.

In his own words he said “The primary thing that I would say is that the Governor has declared 2025 the year of technological advancement, and we are very happy that the Chairman of Jos North, in January, a few weeks after the Governor declared that, has been able to commission an ICT center.”

“It is very significant for us at the Plateau State ICT Development Agency because he will serve as a focal point for other local governments to also start this. When local government chairmen who are close to the grassroots are able to embrace technology like this, you find out that our children are able to adopt this technology early enough.”

“For us, the most important thing is this partnership and this focus that we will use him in order to spread the news of this partnership. So, we congratulate him on his 100 days in office and hope to continue to bother him to spend him money on technology as he has started as he has started. Where there is also support from international organisations, the Federal Government, we will ensure that we bring them to places where technology is valued.”

Mr Datong also hinted on some of the ICT initiatives of Governor Mutfwang in the areas of health and education that are about to be implemented “Already, we are working tirelessly with the governor to do some automations in secondary schools and the healthcare sector. Hopefully, all those will rely on some of these technologies to ensure that Plateau State gets the benefit of technology.”

On his part, the Jos North Council Chairman, Hon John Kyohroh Christopher spoke about the importance of the project to the council and his administration’s intervent to provide safe drinking water for residents of Jos North. “Basically, because we are in a digital world, there is every need for us in Jos North Local Government to also catch up with the world. The world is growing so far, becoming a global village, ICT has already taken over he world and we in Jos North can not continue to do it differently, so we need to come up and join the world in doing what is in-voke at the moment.”

“We identified the need to have an ICT centre where it will serve both the staff and the communities in Jos North Local Government in different areas. We can have that, and we can also improve on the human capital base of our staff here within the local government. So we feel it is very very important.”

“Today, which marks exactly 100 days for us in office, we had already commissioned other projects like the legislative chamber, which we remodelled and equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities. We have also gone round to see some of the boreholes we rehabilitated because we know Jos North, being cosmopolitan with high population, there is need for water and other things. We have seen how global warming has changed the water needs within the urban centers so we feel we should rehabilitate some of our boreholes which were down to be able to improve water access, which will also improve on our wellbeing and healthcare within Jos North and environs.”

“And today, we are here to commission the ICT center which is one of our achivements within the first 100 days in office. And we are privileged to have the people that matter as far as ICT is concerned. We have the DG of the ICT Agency on the Plateau and the President himself of the Computer Society of Plateau State is also here to support this occasion, we are privileged to have them around; for the encouragement and the deport they are giving us. It is a thing of joy and we give God the glory. And we believe that the people of Jos North Local Government will take advantage of this centre and carry out their business at minimal cost.”