November 27, 2017

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) says it is collaborating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) comply with the clearance of Information Technology projects procurement.

Dr Isa Pantami, Director-General of NITDA, said this in a statement signed by Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, in Abuja.

“In an effort to strengthen the IT Projects clearance process, Dr Isa Pantami, the Director General sought for the support of the EFCC.

“This is to sustain its fight against corrupt practices in IT procurements of Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

“Mr Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC Acting Chairman pledged the Commission’s support and indicated that they would comply with government’s directives in obtaining NITDA’s clearance for the Commission’s IT procurements and services.

“The commission fulfilled this pledge by subjecting its Information Communication Technology Security and Systems Infrastructure Upgrade project to rigorous scrutiny by NITDA’s IT Projects Clearance Committee.

“By this singular act, the EFCC has shown that it is not above the law thereby serving as an example to other government establishments,” Pantami said.

He also said that other MDAs should follow suit, adding that the agency was committed to the task as the government’s clearinghouse for all IT procurement and services.

The director-general recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had at the opening ceremony of the eNigeria 2017 Conference recently held in Abuja, called for strict compliance to the directive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NITDA is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Communications charged with the responsibility to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and coordinate general IT development, regulation in the country.

The agency also creates a framework for the planning, research, development, standardisation, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria.