They made this remark at the Social Media Week, held at the Landmark Center, Victoria Island Lagos.
Comrade Adewale averred that “ some Local Governments in Nigeria, most especially in the All progressives Congress (APC) controlled states have realized this potential and have found ways to implement these novel technologies in spearheading its utilization to achieve the best services for the people.
The former Executive Chairman suggested that policy should be made at all levels of government to enhance and facilitate the usage of information communication technology, as well as training and re-training of Local Government personnel in the field of information communication technology (ICT) which has become a necessity for rapid grassroots development in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, The Honourable Minister stated that the Federal Government would integrate information technology into all her paralstatas, while Mrs Keri noted that Edo State Government is now E-governance compliance. She further stressed that most of the government activities can be accessed on-li
3. Former Executive Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale (R), responding to questions asked by participants at the Social Media Week, held at the Landmark Center, Victoria Island Lagos. While from L-R, Moderator and Executive Director, “Enough is Enough’’, Miss Yemi Adamolekun, The Honourable Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and Managing Director, ICT Agency, Edo State, Mrs Yemi Keri listening with rapt attention.
4. Cross-section of participants at the Social Media Week, held at the Landmark Center, Victoria Island Lagos.
BEING A PAPER DELIVERD BY THE FORMER CHAIRMAN, AMUWO ODOFIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, COMRADE AYODELE ADEWALE ON CITIZENS, GOVERNMENT & TECHNOLOGY: HOW TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO INCREASE GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE GRASSROOTS, THE AMUWO ODOFIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE, HELD AT LANDMARK CENTER, WATER CORPORATION ROAD, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS, ON THE 23RD OF FEBRUARY, 2015.
“The new information technology….internet and e-mail….have practically eliminated the physical costs of communications.”------Peter Drucker
PROTOCOL
I am very pleased to be invited to this important program to discuss on information technology; the fastest growing means of communication.
Distinguished, given the considerable interest in transforming governance to restore citizens trust, it is not surprising that people have shown interest in investigating the relationship between e-governance and trust in government, thus the emergence of information communication technology has provided opportunity for inter-connecting government policies and programmes within the global village.
The discovery of information communication technology has made the activities of government more accessible to the governed while the traditional barrier of distance becomes surmountable through modern approach of communication.
Application of e-governance is a potent instrument in disseminating information, consultation, enhancing citizen’s participation, sending feedback, monitoring, evaluating government projects and making government accountable and transparent in its totality.
E-governance has become a necessary political mechanism in evaluating government performance in many developed, developing and underdeveloped nations; it enhances citizen’s ability to have access to basic programmes of government while bringing openness to performing public functions.
The efficiency of social media platforms like blogs, websites, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Googleplus, Instagram, Skype, link-in et al, makes Government around the world to join these platforms in a bid to benefit from a new wave of communication.
On the other hand, social media has become a platform that is easily accessible and help government strengthen relationship with their citizens and increase the level of citizens’ engagement, capacity building and service delivery.
The scope of e-governance gives access to public service such as voting, tax payment, birth and death registration, e-learning, security, marriage registration, health service, commerce et al
It also creates awareness for the local populace in relation to activities such as immunization, civic education, waste management, community policing, religious activities, agriculture, identification of community development association in every neighbourhood, sports, culture and making suggestions for the betterment of government programmes, information processing and many more.
In Amuwo Odofin Local Government, where I served as the Executive Chairman, for 6 years, (30th of Oct. 2008 - 30th Oct. 2014) we adopted e-governance in our administration as a means of project monitoring, security watch, public enlightenment, departmental consultation and for citizens to participate in governance to enhance social service delivery et al
We have a newsletter bulletin and magazine, which can be downloaded on-line and it is called Amuwo Prism and Amuwo Herald.
We also have a website, Facebook, tweeter, Instagram, google+, link-in and e-mail
These channels were used to inform the society about happenings and lined up activities in the Local Government, and getting feedback from the public.
It has been a very good tool.
We also have a marriage registry, where we issued E-certificate.
As at last count, Amuwo Odofin Local Government is one of the leading Local Government on information technology at the grassroots in Nigeria.
The wide usage of these tool by our administration helped the government build it relationship with the governed.
It is germane to state that Local Government institutions are the closest governmental unit closest to the citizen.
It is assigned to perform fundamental functions capable of ensuring grassroots development by providing social service and promoting citizen participation in making decisions.
Thus, application of information communication technology at the grassroots will promote efficiency and effectiveness in achieving set goals.
Hence, E-governance therefore become a political and social device adopted to ensure good governance at the grassroots through which government and citizens relationship are facilitated to ensure better and improved performance.
It brings about openness and transparency in the running of governmental day to day business.
The development of interactive services, new channels of communication, and efficiency gained from digital technology will contribute towards revitalizing the role of government officials in representative democracy, to improving communications between citizens and the state.
Furthermore, some Local Governments in Nigeria, most especially in the All progressives Congress (APC) controlled states have realized this potential and have found ways to implement these novel technologies in spearheading its utilization to achieve the best services for the people.
This potentials ranges from awareness, social networking to strategic planning, development, and implementation.
The APC controlled states knowing the importance of information technology is leaving no stone unturned to make all the states and Local government under its control, a place for digital technology.
It should be stated categorically that the application of information and communication technology for improving governance by enhancing government role in service delivery, public administration, and promotion of participatory democracy has been gaining momentum in many parts of the world.
The purpose of implementing e-governance is to enhance good governance.
Good governance is generally characterized by participation, transparency and account-ability.
The recent advances in communication technologies and the Internet provide opportunities to transform the relationship between governments and citizens in a new way, thus contributing to the achievement of good governmental goals.
The use of information technology can increase the broad involvement of citizens in the process of governance at all levels by providing possibility of on-line discussion and group networking.
Today, the leading e-governance issues for state and local government officials are more complex and more deeply embedded in social and organizational context than ever before.
Networks continue to connect vast amounts of data from an increasing number of sources, with impacts on the social, political, and economic geographies of governance.
In this context, there is need to advance information communication technology through which sustainable development could be achieved at the grassroots in Nigeria.
E-governance is capable of promoting participatory democracy at the grassroots and providing riding board for citizen’s involvement in governance.
In an e-democracy, the Government will inform, represent and encourage
citizens to vote via this system and consult citizen while engaging them in Governance.
It will take citizens input about various government policies by organizing e-debate that will further strengthen democratic institution.
The adoption of information communication technology makes governance inclusive, efficient, responsive, transparent, accountable and more participatory which embodies the elements of good governance at the local level.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, application of modern technology shall facilitate the current struggle against corruption at all levels of government; the government becomes more institutionalized and transparent in its activities
This can easily be achieved through the adoption and application of information communication technology (ICT) at all levels of government.
Various programmes of government such as provision of infrastructure, health care service, waste management, data collections, agriculture, commerce, sports and some other services rendered by the Local Government become more circulated amongst the governed; therefore, e-governance is
a political and social strategy to ameliorate people’s predicaments through a modern technological means.
Finally, it is my candid opinion that policy should be made at all levels of government to enhance and facilitates the usage of information communication technology as well as training and re-training of local government personnel in the field of information communication technology (ICT) which have become an imperative for rapid grassroots development in Nigeria.
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