Governor Udom Emmanuel said his government is exploiting the option of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Science and Technology for employment generation and wealth creation in Akwa Ibom state.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Governor Udom stated this, as part of policy objectives, while presenting a N670.718 billion 2019 budget he proposed for Akwa Ibom before the State House of Assembly on Wednesday.
The Governor said ICT and the knowledge of science and technology are major catalysts for economic growth, social development and job creation.
He said science and technology have been recognized as a strategic tool for community development, wealth creation and advancement of the human condition at all levels.
“This Administration aims to build a strong and rich intellectual human capacity in science and technology for Akwa Ibom citizens without discrimination in gender or age and to emphasize the advancement of knowledge of ICT at all levels,” Udom said.
He said this would be achieved through the training of unemployed graduates on ICT under the Graduate Assistant Programme (GAP) and setting up of ICT academy for the training of Civil servants in the State.
“The world today is going green through the adoption, development and use of renewable energy and efficient utilization of nature’s energy resources.
“Since renewable energy can be used in electricity generation and production of cleaner vehicle fuel. There is a paradigm shift from an energy system powered by increasingly expensive, dirty and unsustainable fossil fuel resources towards the one powered by abundant, clean, local and affordable renewable energy sources.
“The State is not left behind in the global renewable energy and energy efficiency trend, as a Directorate of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency has been created in the Ministry of Science and Technology to specifically develop, install and maintain Renewable Energy Technology in the State.
“Government also intends to pursue e-governance, establish Resources and Development Laboratory, Technology Workshop. etc.
“The 2019 budget proposes the sum of N2.800 billion, to execute these activities,” the Governor stated.