The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, has affirmed his commitment to supporting the growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in administrative governance. This statement comes after a delegation from Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG), a global hub for technological innovation, visited his office in Calabar, the state capital.
SVPG, an ICT-based company specializing in sharing senior-level experience and best practices with technology companies, as well as offering services to the government and providing training, expressed interest in collaborating with Cross River State.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbeche, stated that Governor Otu encouraged the tech investors to take advantage of the state’s population and establish ICT hubs across the region. In Governor Otu’s view, technology is essential for socioeconomic stability, educational advancement, and effective policy formulation and implementation, particularly in engaging young people in productive ventures.
The Governor emphasized the importance of a technology-friendly government that fosters an environment conducive to innovation through research and development, industry partnerships, and policies and regulations that incentivize innovation. He mentioned that Cross River State is blessed with talented individuals in the field of Information Technology, but lacks proper ICT hubs. He expressed the state’s desire to partner with SVPG in establishing these hubs for the comprehensive training of its residents.
During the meeting, Mr. Christian Idiodi, the team lead from SVPG, stated that the purpose of their visit was to share ideas that would help build ICT solutions beneficial to Africans. He highlighted the group’s track record of organizing training sessions and seminars aimed at encouraging ICT-based solutions tailored to the African context. He further expressed the team’s readiness to seize the governor’s offer and set up an office in Cross River State.
With this partnership between Cross River State and SVPG, the stage is set for accelerated technology development and the creation of opportunities for the state’s youth to gain the necessary skills for the digital age.
