By: Ogaga Moses
In a bold step towards repositioning the Benue State Ministry of Information and Orientation for the digital age, the Ministry recently took delivery of its newly developed Web-Portal, following a comprehensive training and official handover ceremony by the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company, (BDIC.)
The event, held at the Conference Hall of the Ministry, Makurdi, marked a significant milestone in the Ministry's quest for effective information management and dissemination.
Welcoming the BDIC team, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Chief Solomon Iorpev, lauded the company led by Mr. Terhide Tyavyar for its creativity and professionalism in developing the portal.
Hon. Iorpev described the portal as a strategic tool that will add immense value to the information needs of the state, noting that it will enhance transparency, accessibility and real-time dissemination of government policies, programmes and activities.
In his remarks, the leader of the development team, Mr. Terhide Tyavyar, expressed appreciation to the Ministry for the opportunity to serve. He explained the essence of the portal, stressing that it was designed to serve the Ministry, the entire state and the general public, especially in a democratic dispensation and at a time of electioneering campaigns when timely and credible information is critical.
According to him, the portal will bridge the gap between government and the governed, while projecting Benue to the global digital community.
Speaking on behalf of the trainees, an Information Officer in the Department of Public Enlightenment and Orientation, Mr. Godwin Iduh, described the initiative as an unprecedented achievement. He attributed the feat to the visionary leadership of a Commissioner who is a professional in developmental communication.
"We are proud of Honourable Commissioner, Hon. Chief Iorpev for the many initiatives and changes in the ministry within a couple of weeks as Commissioner. We'll leverage on the training received to be more official, professional and productive in the discharge of our duties and responsibilities," Iduh said.
In her address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Ubwa, who conducted the official takeover of the Web Portal, on behalf of the Commissioner, commended the Commissioner for the laudable feat. She thanked both the BDIC developers and the ICT trainees, noting that the event signaled the dawn of a new era for the Ministry in the use of digital tools and modern information management.
Mrs. Ubwa urged staff of the Ministry to embrace the technology and ensure its effective utilization for improved service delivery.
The training session featured hands-on practicals on content management, news upload, and portal administration for Information Officers drawn from various departments of the Ministry. And the portal is billed for public access in the coming week.( The Pavilion)
