Rep Daniel Asama calls for better implementation of IT policies in Nigeria

Rep Daniel Asama, a member of the House of Representatives representing Jos/Bassa Federal Constituency in Plateau State, has highlighted the significant implementation gaps as one of the primary challenges hindering Nigeria’s progress in information technology (IT).

Speaking at the closing ceremony of a Summer Programme organized by Teen Ambassador Foundation in collaboration with Net Access Communication Ltd in Abuja, Asama stressed that mere legislation is insufficient to drive the necessary advancements in IT.

Asama pointed out that while Nigeria has made strides in passing laws to support IT development, the real challenge lies in the effective implementation and monitoring by relevant ministries and agencies.

He noted that widespread issues such as implementation fatigue, infrastructural decay, and corruption are not only obstructing IT progress but are also pervasive across other sectors in the country.

Despite these challenges, the lawmaker expressed optimism that efforts are being made to address these issues.

He emphasized the importance of introducing young Nigerians to computer science and technology at an early age, suggesting that this could position Nigeria as a leader in the global IT landscape.

Furthermore, Asama underscored the need to harness the energy of young people, particularly those involved in cybercrimes, redirecting their talents toward positive and constructive uses of technology.

He said.” today AI has taken over everything. Literally, I will tell you that in the near future, computer and technology will take over the world. I have children, and I will only be fair to my kids if I introduce them to computers now.

“I have to introduce my kids to STEM. I have to introduce them to technology that has to do with programming, computing, and every other thing. I don’t care what my child is going to learn. If you want to be a doctor, if you want to be a lawyer, but I will have to give you a background, a deep, very solid background of computer sciences, before you can reach any other profession.

“Because I don’t want my child to have a profession that one day that will be shortchanged. And I will tell you for Nigeria as a whole, technology is the hope for the world. Silicon Valley today is made of younger people from the ages of 16 to about 40.

“They are the ones driving Silicon Valley in California today. Where technology is being incubated to the whole world. Today, Nigeria is known to be some of the smartest people in the world.

“All the Yahoo boys that you hear, all the scum that you hear, it’s technology. There isn’t technology to do it. If we can only redirect that technology and put it in the right place, then we are good.

“So all this technology and the crime we are seeing online, the internet scum and everything, we only need to get these guys when they are young. Like we are doing here in Tim’s Ambassador. Get them young.

“Inculcate this discipline. Let them learn the technology, but learn to apply it to the right places. My background, I have a background of computer science.

“I understand that I would have chosen to be a scammer, or be hacking people’s accounts, or be hacking ATMs and try to get money. Or I can develop softwares that will help and develop people. So today, the kids have an opportunity to learn how to develop their country.

“This technology thing, India, Israel, Kenya now, and some part of Africa, around the world, are growing strong in technology. We have the capacity. We can match them and we can even do better than them. I like this and I think this is the way forward. What will help our economy today is to build industrialization internally.

“If we build up a technology today that the world is going to buy, then we are up already. So what happens to X? What happens to Facebook? What happens to Instagram? What is happening with all the platforms, Google, Yahoo, everything? We can do it here.

“Yahoo was started by seven young people. They were teenagers, seven of them, who started Yahoo and then it became what it becomes. We can do this here.

The lawmaker’s comments underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing Nigeria’s IT development challenges, including effective implementation, monitoring, and investment in youth education.

Speaking also at the event, the Director General of Teen Ambassador Foundation (TAF) Mr Paul Adiwu called on the federal government to invest more on young teenagers in the area of information Communication Technology ICT across the country.

According to Adiwu, the foundation is offering scholarships to support further education in software and computer engineering to outstanding students.

He said “we don’t just stop at this training that we’ve started. We are stepping up our game by giving them those that want to reach, that want to go further. We can give them scholarship.

“We can give them scholarship to study software engineering or computer engineering. It’s not just picking people randomly. Because when the time comes and after writing their YA, and you have the required grades to be admitted in school, and your parents cannot afford to pay for your education, I’m assuring you the foundation is willing to support such students.

The event also featured the presentation of certificates to students who participated in a computer science training program.