Enugu Calls For A Townhall Meeting To Protect Techies 

Following the application and ramifications in nearly every area, technology is clearly the backbone powering economies today.

Nigeria’s economy has not been left out of this technological coverage, which has spawned startups and offered a rapid sail for new entrepreneurs to grow, churning out young digital billionaires.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the information technology and telecommunications industry is now Nigeria’s greatest contributor to GDP (GDP).

In the first quarter of 2021, it contributed more than 4 trillion Naira to the country’s GDP.

Sadly, some questionable persons have exploited the entire ecosystem using work tools and work patterns comparable to those employed by remote tech employees today, among the consequences of technology in fine tuning labor.

The office of the Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Innovation, Science, and Technology is organizing a townhall meeting themed: “Connecting the Dots in Our Cyberspace” in response to the happenings in the cyber space, particularly the misconception that exists in our society about the job type carried out by tech savvy remote workers working either for themselves as entrepreneurs or as employees to diverse tech outfits spread across the world.

The event, according to TechEconomy.ng, is an Enugu tech community and security town hall meeting set for tomorrow, Thursday, March 3rd, 2022, at 10:00am.

The event aims to preserve the rights of innocent persons who are lawfully and correctly carrying out their responsibilities but are frequently mistaken for fraudsters owing to their work instruments (mainly laptops and other mobile devices).

“The event is timely and expected to be the first attempt by any Governmental body in Nigeria to intentionally safeguard remote tech workers against the incessant arrest by the Nigeria security agencies.

“In the wake of this development, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has commended this move by the Enugu State Government as a step in the right direction that will be beneficial to all remote workers as well as propel Enugu State on the global tech map.

“Protecting these classes of people from this menace will position the state to attract leading technologists and technology companies across the globe and in turn, boost the economy of the state in the long run.

“The town meeting is expected to culminate to deployable solutions such as developing a standard database that will capture all Information Technology professionals in Enugu State and attract indigenous Enugu State IT gurus to launch their product and services in Enugu”, Elvis Obi-Nwankwo, Special Assistant to the Governor of Enugu State for Innovation, Science, and Technology, stated in a letter obtained by TechEconomy.ng.

Speakers:

Among those expected to speak at the event are Kashifu Inuwa, Director General, National Information Technology Agency (NITDA); CP Abubakar Lawal, Enugu State Commissioner of Police; Ms. Adaeze Sokan (Country Director UK/Nigeria Tech Hub); Mr. Johnson Oshodi, Zonal Director, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); and Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, President, Institute of Software

The crucial event is also scheduled to provide an ideal chance for significant technology players to meet, engage, and promote the local technology ecosystem in Enugu State, as well as emphasize the need for greater collaboration with the country’s security services.