Omobola Johnson, Nigeria’s minister for communications technology, has inaugurated the council of ICT Heads of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja.
Johnson will be the chairman of the new council, with other members including Gerald Ilukwe, managing director of Galaxy Backbone, as vice chairman and all heads of ICT of Federal Ministries and the National Information Technology Development Agency.
At the inauguration ceremony, Johnson described the council inauguration as the beginning of a new era in the ICT governance in MDAs.
According to the minister, the council will help in reinforcing the commitment of the incumbent administration in establishing an ICT Ministry that will drive internal efficiency in government and promote good governance.
Concerning the roles of the council, the minister said it does not have decision-making authority, but will be an advisory body that can influence and apply pressure on MDAs to make changes.
In a statement made available to HumanIPO by the special assistant for media to the minister of communications technology, Efem Akanga said: “The council heads will drive internal efficiency in MDAs, ensure improved IT service delivery, coordinate federal government IT strategy and implementation, effective IT project management, and integrated IT budgeting within federal MDAs.”
She added: “The secretariat of the council will meet at least six times a year and will be established in the E-Government Department of the Ministry of Communication Technology.”
According to the minister, the council can set up other governance bodies such as the Architecture and Innovation Committee, Assurance, Compliance and Security Committee, Portfolio, Programme and Service Management Committee and IT Utilisation, Skills and Capacity Development Committee.
