The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has urged the Federal Government to deepen efforts toward advancing application of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the country to address recession.
Ayodeji Abitogun, the Chairman of NCS Abuja chapter, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of in on Monday in Abuja.
According to him, the nation needs to key into better self-effort solutions to solve the problem of economic recession at the moment.
“To solve that problem; ICT has a role to play. ICT is about accountability, transparency, efficiency, blockage of leakages.
“When you automate your process everything becomes clear; you do not need to exchange money; so to fight corruption on its own as it has been proven to work for Treasury Single Account (TSA).
“ We can use IT to secure the nation in the area of cyber security to fight against cyber-crime; corruption in government and to grow business in the private sector.
“For the people in academia, we are talking about how we can use ICT to promote learning and research development.
“We are taking IT away from the commercial sector to members of public through this road walk; to tell people that you must embrace ICT if we must promote the nation,“ he said.
Abitogun said that NCS, an umbrella body for IT professionals that would keep on bringing people from the government, private sector, academia and ministry to discuss the way forward.
Mr Bayo Onimode, the NCS General Secretary, Abuja chapter, told NAN that NCS was ready to establish the synergy between various people from different sectors representing various interest groups.
“The ICT is necessary for every sector of our economic; we want to create awareness for ICT in Abuja and environs.
“Now with BVN, multiplicity of accounts can be trapped and traced,’’ he said.
He said that computers would be distributed to identified primary schools and secondary schools in FCT.
Mr Gabriel Oladapo, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee for the event, said that more schools from the rural areas would receive more than their counterparts in the city.
“We need to go down to the rural areas where we need to reach the people. There is need to catch them young and to introduce them to the use and right application of computer.
“Let them see the usefulness in these various technology tools that are available to develop various skills in hardware and software programming in order to secure a better future.
“We should not forget that today, India and China generate money from ICT more than what Nigeria generates from oil,’’ he said.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
