AKHA Passes Bill On Bureau For ICT

Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly has passed a bill for a Law to establish the Akwa Ibom State Bureau for ICT, Innovation and Emerging Technologies (AKBICT).

The passage followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Science and Technology presented by its Chairman, Hon Uduak Ekpo Ufot, during plenary on Thursday.

In his report, Hon. Ekpo-Ufot (Etinan State Constituency) detailed the legislative procedure through which the bill was scrutinised and concluded, including a public hearing that opened up a platform for inputs from relevant stakeholders of the public.

Ekpo-Ufot, said the objectives and the functions of the Bureau include, among others, to: "Co-ordinate, Own, Administer, Standardise, Strategically Plan, and Monitor all ICT related assets.

"Maintain and manage ICT related assets including but are not limited to: Domain Names, All Official Websites across the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, Boards and Commissions, Local Government Councils, Parastatals, MDAs.

"Liaise with all Agencies, Bureaus and MDAs at the Federal and International levels such as Nigerian Communications Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Telecommunication, Media and Technology firms for AKSG tech-related discourses.

"Create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardisation, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of information technology practices, activities and systems in the State and all matters related thereto and without derailing from the generality of the foregoing shall include providing universal access for information technology and system penetration in rural, urban and under-served areas."

At the Committee of the Whole where the Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Elder ) Udeme Otong, presided over as a Chairman, Lawmakers unanimously upheld all the recommendations contained in the report.

Otong, directed the Clerk of the Assembly, Mrs NsikakAbasi Orok, to communicate the development to the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for further action.

Meanwhile, the House has adjourned plenary to Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 10:00 hours.

Press Unit,

Office of the Speaker,

Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA).

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