ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, has opined that the Federal Government can win the war against terrorism, kidnapping and other forms of insecurity if technology is deployed.
According to him, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, can deploy technologies in the ministry to help track down kidnappers, bandits and criminals terrorising the country.
The governor who was represented by the Commissioner of Education, Aliyu Tilde, stated this in a keynote address at the inauguration of theNnorth-East Zonal Office of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), on Monday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi.
The governor said that Nigeria is internally and externally challenged technologically, pointing out that security is one of the areas the country is challenged internally.
He lamented that Nigerians irrespective of status cannot sleep with their eyes closed because of the state of insecurity across the country.
“Very few of us today, all over the country, sleep with two eyes closed because we are afraid of kidnapping, we are afraid of banditry. Kidnapping takes place just because of one technology that is available, nothing else. Remove that technology and kidnapping will be impossible. And that’s the GSM.
“Without contact with the family of the kidnapped victims, there will be no kidnapping, it will be a fruitless exercise. We have said this over and over and I think finally, our governors in the northwest have come to terms with this reality.
“Let me challenge you that are the engineers and my younger brother that is up there as a Minister (of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami), can’t we or until when can we discover a way of getting round this problem, of immobilizing or neutralizing the use of the GSM in the commitment against crime?
“How can we quicken track and pin down a criminal when he commits a crime via the GSM? Once you can do this, it’s over. We’ll go to our beds and enjoy our sleep. This is just one internal challenge and there are many like that,” he stated.
Mohammed who also gave another internal challenge said unless universities across the world particularly, in Nigeria, embrace and invest in technology and go into e-learning, many of them will close down.
According to him, in the next 10 years, Harvard University will be registering over 10 million undergraduates with thousands of them being Nigerians, adding that people in their villages, hamlets will be acquiring Harvard University’s degrees.
He said: “This trend, if we are not careful, is going to wipe out many universities in the third world. And even in the US, in the next 10 years, many universities must closed down because they will not be patronized.
“A typical Nigerian parent will be in a situation, presumably, a happy one, where he will choose between enrolling to get a degree from Harvard University at a very cheap rate or applying to our university and spending between five and seven years before graduation. I don’t know which father will choose the latter over the former.
“So, it’s a serious challenge not only to you but to all universities across the world. You must invest in e-learning, you must ensure that the e-learning content of your university is increasing every year.
“Project it over a period of 10 years when this contest will be at a highest level, at least, by then you would have like 70 percent of your candidates as e-learners. By this, you would be assured of your future and you must begin that today.”
The governor however, commended NOTAP for doing a good job in ensuring acquisition and promoting technology in the country saying that the function is vital to the technological development of the country.
He then assured that his administration will continue to prioritize technological development in the state as well as engage in a collaborative effort with NOTAP in that direction.
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