ICT can address poverty in Africa, declares Gbajabiamila
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Tuesday said the effective deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools in rural communities would help empower rural dwellers and stimulate increased economic activities in Africa.
The speaker said by having access to adequate and the right information, the poverty level in rural communities in Africa could greatly be reduced.
Speaker Gbajabiamila said this in a paper titled: “Enhancing Information Communication Technology (ICT) use in providing life-changing solutions in rural communities” at the ongoing 50th regional conference and the annual general meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Africa region holding in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Gbajabiamila, who led the Nigerian delegation to the conference, moved a motion for the commencement of proceedings and the debate on the second day of the conference, saying policy makers must, through policy-making and legislative process, ensure opportunities created by technological advancements are available to the people.
“Everywhere, from Africa to Europe, Asia to the Americas, policy-makers are still trying to figure out this brave new world. It often feels as if the moment we reach an understanding of one paradigm, it changes again to reveal new vistas, new challenges and opportunities. We cannot and we do not seek to halt the march of technological progress.
“In fact, we embrace it because we have seen how technology properly used can improve the circumstances of human life in every sector from education to health care, security and commerce,” he said.
On how ICT can address poverty, he said that ICT can play a major role in addressing rural poverty and improving the economic well-being of the people through access to adequate and right information.
“Rural communities in Nigeria and Africa as a whole are faced with the challenges of infrastructural deficit that would help stimulate development. This affects access to adequate and right information by the rural communities. The challenge is how to leverage the bountiful opportunities in the sector to improve service delivery in rural communities,” he added.
In the area of agriculture, the speaker said the deployment of ICT in the sector would increase efficiency, productivity and sustainability of small-scale farms.
On education, Gbajabiamila said: “The use of ICT in a dedicated manner within the education sector in the rural areas would help increase the literacy level of the rural population. There is a need to embark on an aggressive sensitization drive to educate the rural communities on the importance of ICT.
“The use of ICT to deliver healthcare will enable healthcare professionals and institutions to address the critical medical needs of rural communities. This will bring about improvement in the health of rural dwellers and their economic well-being.”
Similarly, proper use of ICT, the Speaker said, would address rural-urban migration as well as make the rural populace politically active by sensitizing and mobilizing them on activities of government.
