Barley one month after Mr Godwin Obaseki completed his second term as governor of Edo State, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria has recognised his outstanding technological feat across the state.
The ATCON will at its 31st anniversary event in Lagos on Friday, December 6, 2024, honour Obaseki with the Digital Governor award.
The group, in a letter to the former governor, and made available to journalists on Sunday, listed key achievements that earned him the prestigious award.
READ ALSO:
Troops neutralise scores of terrorists in Zamfara
Lagos announces traffic diversion on Ajose Adeogun street for Christmas youth parade
Enugu gov, Austrian investor bag honorary doctorate from ESUT
The tech-innovations in Edo State under the immediate past governor cut across key segments of the state’s structures from e-governance to data automation, skills hubs, tech-in agriculture, healthcare, pension, city planning, education, security and local government to civil service tech integration.
As seen in the letter, the ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, acknowledged Obaseki’s visionary leadership that resulted in the creation of Edo e-governance platform, making it the first to be fully transited to a paperless state in the country.
He said that Obaseki’s landmark achievements are evident in the creation of the Edo State TIER III Data Centre, a critical tool in managing digital services for government agencies; the deployment of the Health Information Management System; and the Electronic Health Records and Telemedicine Services fully streamlined healthcare delivery, improved patient management, and extended healthcare access to rural areas.
His input in the digitisation of the state’s pension management process with the Edo State Pension Management System and an online pension portal was also acknowledged by the ATCON president.
“Equally breathtaking is the Smart City Initiative and investments in fibre optic infrastructure, which enabled high-speed Internet access across the state, laying the foundation for further digital services and urban planning,” Emoekpere wrote.
The education sector was also transformed with the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation programme, a pioneering initiative that revolutionised primary and junior secondary education by integrating technology into teaching and learning processes.
Under Obaseki, the state’s security apparatus was boosted with the Edo Command and Control Centre that serves as a hub for monitoring and managing the state’s security, traffic and emergency services.
By connecting all 18 local councils and primary health centres, thus enhancing healthcare delivery and local governance responsiveness; providing over 6,000 digital tools that improved public administration efficiency and fostered a culture of innovation; governance in the state was made seamless and output outstanding across diverse indicators.
The ATCON was convinced that Obaseki’s achievements in digital governance earned him recognition as a leader in public service automation, demonstrating commitment to modernising governance through technology.
Lauding the former Edo State governor’s overall achievements in digital technology and policy implementation, the ATCON said, “Your commitment to digital excellence has set a shining example for other states to follow. We applaud your dedication to creating a digitally-enabled Edo State, driving economic growth, and improving the lives of its citizens.”