The Enugu Commissioner for Science and Technology, Engr Prince Lawrence Ezeh has toured private digital tech hubs in the state that design games, produce Wi-Fi, convert tricycles engine from petrol to solar panel and batteries, provide educational solutions and materials, etc.
The Commissioner, who said the objective of the tour is to understand the level of the companies’ technological advancement in serving Enugu people, expressed satisfaction at the numerous innovations and improvements seen in the various hubs.
Recall that prior to being elected into office, Governor Peter Mbah in his manifesto promised to ensure that investors were attracted to the state.
His words “Our objective here is to attract private sector investments by making the environment attractive to investors. My job is to make sure we enable the ease of doing business, create special economic zones, and encourage our young people who are doing well in ICT by providing all the facilities and infrastructure to explore their full potential”.
Re-echoing the Governor’s resolve, the Commissioner stated: “What we are trying to do is to encourage you. You need to continue doing these because, with consistency, you will become one of the biggest players in the industry. Most of these machines you said you can produce rather than import, are like your babies. You will know how to manage them better than the ones someone did and you may not know some of their functions.”
He also inquired from the company whether it could be possible to make the kind of machines that will be doing the same functions as those produced in other technologically advanced countries.
Responding, the Chief Executive Officer of Binary Hills Technology Park, Engr. Chima Abafor stated that it is possible, adding that it used to take them about two to three years to get games created.
On his part, Dreams Hub Director, Mr. Edeoga Chukwudi, said they set the environment for entrepreneurship where people could also make investment.
“So, this is a hub where we do entrepreneurship, where we can make investment. We equally render services such as: offer students’ admission, E-learning, school accounts management, result analysis, staff data management, students management and others. Through our E-Learning platform, we have created contents for e-library, ranging from English, Mathematics, to ICT which is our core and base.”
Another company, Greenage Technologies Power Systems revealed how it is using locally manufactured solar equipment to provide power solution to Nigerians. Interestingly too, Greenage Technologies is a company converting petrol – powered tricycles (keke) into solar vehicles.
The company explained that it’s battery-powered tricycles converted from petrol to solar panels were built with two batteries, one powering them for 13 hours while the other is put on reserve, a spare.
Another company toured by the Commissioner is Digital Dreams ICT Academy, a place where students develop in different courses in ICT.
Also Sparks Consult, an institution training and investing in women who are interested in technology and innovations was visited by the governor. It is also owned by a woman, Mrs Chinyere Otuonye.
Enugu State Government embarked on the tour to fine-tune ways of partnering with them for more productivity which will in turn, contribute to the growth of the State Economy.
