The government of Akwa Ibom State , at the weekend in Uyo, reinstated its commitment to transform the state into a digital state and to empower the entire citizens with the use of modern day technology.

Commissioner for Science and Technology, Samuel Efanga, reassured people of the state of the government's commitment, during a working visit to some sites where work on the state’s science park is going on. He was accompanied by the contractor handling the project; its partners in Nigeria , representatives of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), the Immigration and some directors from the state Ministry of Science and Technology.

During the visit, three sites were powered up and a live demonstration of the digital project was displayed.

Pleased with the level of work carried out by the contracting company and its partners in Nigeria, coupled with the real time live demonstration, the commissioner said the project, when completed, will not only put Akwa Ibom State ahead of other states in technology development, but will also empower its citizens and create wealth for the people of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.

The state government, some years ago, planned setting up a science park in the state and to connect all government offices with internet, Voice over Internet Protocol, and video conferencing with a plan to extend the same to all local government areas of the state.

The job was contracted four years ago and since then a lot of efforts have been committed in ensuring the speedy completion of the project.

Having completed the first phase of the project, which provides Internet connectivity, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Video Conferencing to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the State House of Assembly and the State Government Annex, the company handling the project, SBT Juul Africa, was pleased to invite the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Science and Technology for a test run of the first phase of the project.

Addressing a press conference shortly after the visit, the commissioner, who had earlier demonstrated the use of VoIP via telephone from the State House of Assembly to the State Ministry of Science and Technology, explained that the project is intended to provide internet access, VoIP and Video Conferencing to all state ministries with plans to extend it to the local government areas of the state. The design, he said, is to facilitate e-government in the state.

"Today we went round inspecting the facilities at various sites and I am impressed with the state-of-the-art technological facilities that have been installed and running. The state government is investing heavily in the project and it is fully committed to the funding of the project," Efanga said.

According to him, the project is enabling infrastructure for the state and that the idea is to link all state government offices and the local government areas with one network, such that the governor or permanent secretary to any of the ministries could decide to hold video conferencing with staff of the same ministry from the comfort of their various offices. The governor for instance, he said, could hold video conferencing with various commissioners and directors from the comfort of his office, without necessarily inviting all of them to a physical conference room.

All these will lead to industrial revolution in the state and it will create wealth, provide enhancement and attract foreign and local investors to the state in the area of manufacturing, while government will provide the infrastructure and the enabling environment for their businesses to thrive, the commissioner said.

He added that today, Nigeria is depending so much on oil revenue, promising that with the digital project of the developing Akwa Ibom State Science Park, the state will be looking at alternative sources of revenue generation.

He thanked the state governor, Godswill Akpabio, who is branded ‘Digital Governor’ for his belief in the project, as well as his commitment to it.

He assured people of the state that within a short time, the science park project will be completed.

"This is just the completion and inspection of the first phase of the project and the idea is also to transform Uyo, the state capital into a mega city," he said.