ICT, Best Hope for Achieving Integration in ECOWAS
By Tayo Ajakaye
Information and Communications Technology has been described as the best hope for achieving economic integration within the African sub-region, the President, Fantsuam Foundation, Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Mr. John Dada has said.
At a presentation he made at the e-Nigeria 2004 conference in Abuja, Dada said that the sub-region does not have another 50 years to get it wrong and as such, ICT should be fully embraced.
Drawing from the example of India, Dada said India began its microelectronics investments in the 1970s adding that the country has now turned itself into a major industrial player in a range of key technologies.
He noted that deregulation and privatization led to a boom in several new technology areas which left many Indians considerably better off, some extremely so. Even so, relatively few of the benefits have filtered down to the rural poor, many of whom continue to lack basic human needs such as clean water and adequate food.
"Technological innovation is a necessary condition for social and economic progress, it is not a sufficient condition," Dada pointed out adding that of equal importance are accompanying policies to ensure that the benefits of successful innovations are widely shared and experienced.
Coming to China, Dada stated that the country with a population of 800 million people has developed 10 year education plan, and it is poised to take over the world. "ECOWAS ICT strategy is to plan for the future," he reiterated.
He observed that the building blocks for this process are ready in form of the existence of an effective coordinating mechanism, national governments, ICT policies processes and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
In his view, there should be a medium term strategy which should include the showcasing of ICT initiatives by government, civil society and the private sector; the promotion of cross border collaborations and encouragement of youth exchange programmes. There should also be recognition for ECOWAS Sillicon valley entrepreneurs, a sharing of experienced gained and the optimization of resources.
In achieving the set goals, there are some ICT resources which he believed could be tapped upon. These include the ECOWAS leadership commitment, the Nigerian President commitment through NEPAD, the personal commitment of the Senegalese President Wade, the Digital Solidarity Fund and the pas President, WSIS Prepcom, Mr. Adama Samassekou. Other resources are the examples set by Ghana in IT, Digital Diaspora Network (DDN-A), the Nigerian IT Professionals in the Diaspora (NITPA) and NITDA.
Beyond WSIS, Dada advised that ICT should be responsive to the needs of all people and exploring and developing ICT strategies that are capable of meeting the basic needs of the region's rural poor.
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