FEC approves N8.9bn for FCT ICT Park, policy on aging — Ministers

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved about N8.9 billion for the establishment of a new National Information and Communication and Technology (ICT) park in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to coordinate public and private ICT hubs in the country.

The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, disclosed this to State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Pantami explained that a 4,200 square meter land had already been acquired for the establishment of the ICT Park, saying, “The Federal Executive Council has approved the memo and we are going to start establishing it in Abuja and we hope Abuja is going to be another Silicon Valley in Nigeria”.

He said: “The wisdom behind the ICT Park is for it to be a center where public and private ICT hubs are going to be coordinated by the federal government of Nigeria, where young innovators with crazy and disruptive ideas will be mentored and all that they need to be provided for.

”We will provide an enabling environment for them to utilize and come up with disruptive technologies.

“This is the first of its kind in Nigeria, we have so many parks and hubs but they are regional. This one will be central and will be a center of job creation for our teeming youths. It will be a centre where technology will be developed and incubated. It will play a significant role in reducing unemployment and reduce the gap of unemployability.

Also briefing the correspondents, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, said the FEC had approved a new National Policy on Aging as part of efforts by the Federal Government to ensure the socio-economic safety of the aged in the society.

According to her, the objective of the policy was to ensure that older persons in the society were guaranteed security, independence anticipation, participation, comprehensive care, self-fulfilment and dignity.

“The policy covers a spectrum of issues and opportunities for older persons, older persons with disabilities, older persons who are internally displaced, older persons engaged in farming in Nigeria, in urban and rural areas,’’ she added.

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