Galaxy Backbone will commission a number of its ICT centres in Anambra State, in line with its commitment to be the leading enabler of digital inclusion of underserved communities and rural locations in Nigeria.
The ICT projects were initiated as part of the company’s overarching corporate objectives based on its mandate to create digital access for underserved communities and rural locations in Nigeria as a platform to leap-frog Nigeria into a 21st century knowledge society.
According to Yusuf Kazaure, Chief Education, States & Development department of Galaxy Backbone, “Our focus on bridging the digital divide is based on the realization that ICT is a modern tool for arresting the increasing poverty gap in an economy such as ours. As we commission the ICT centres in Anambra State this weekend, and others across the country, it is hoped that underserved communities and rural locations in Nigeria will in no distant time be positioned to compete in the knowledge economy through human capacity development and empowerment opportunities”.
The three ICT centres being commissioned this weekend as part of the activities lined up for Galaxy Backbone ICT Road Show for South East zone are located in Alor community, Girls Secondary School, Alor and the palace of Obi of Onitsha, all in Anambra State. The centres were initiated as part of the NICEP network approved by the Federal Government in 2007 to provide accelerated connectivity for broadband internet, data, voice and video communications to rural and underserved communities including educational institutions in the country. The network could be leveraged to bring many sustainable developmental initiatives to Nigerians. Specifically, the network would assist government to facilitate the digital inclusion of underserved communities, assist in the area of human capacity development and deliver beneficial e-services to citizens.
Yusuf stated that in addition to providing internet access, the network is capable of supporting ICT based solutions targeted at universal access, health, education, poverty alleviation, wealth creation, as well as those focused on enhancing public sector efficiency. With so many public services going online e.g. JAMB, NECO registration and recruitment into some government agencies, the need to provide access to people in rural areas can never be overemphasized.
He urged State Governments and other developmental entities in the country to take advantage of the fact that the Federal Government had already funded the purchase of NICEP equipment while the States can reap the benefits and only incur recurrent bandwidth and support charges. “This proposition is superior to any other that will include hidden or visible equipment costs”.
The benefits of digital inclusion that can be leveraged through the NICEP infrastructure at the Federal, State and Local Government levels include providing digital access to citizens in rural locations; improve quality of education and healthcare; support growth of internally generated revenue; enhance government to citizen interaction; cost control and management as well as employment generation and poverty alleviation.
The welcome speech will be delivered by the Chief Host, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, Governor of Anambra State and Chairman, South-East Governors’ Forum, while the keynote speech will be by the Special Guest of Honour, Dr. Eugene Juwah, the Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission. Other key speakers include: Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru, the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Ken Spam, Microsoft Inc., and Gerald Ilukwe, Managing Director/CEO, Galaxy Backbone.
Galaxy Backbone is a Federal Government owned company established in 2006 and whose primary mandate is the provision of ICT infrastructure and services to the public sector as well as the digital inclusion of underserved communities and locations in Nigeria.
