Former Senator representing Ekiti North, Ayodele Arise, on Sunday applauded President Bola Tinubu for his administration’s investment in drone technology and digital infrastructure as part of efforts to combat insecurity and boost national development.

Arise, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, gave the commendation while speaking on The Morning Show, a live programme on Arise Television.

He said, “These are some improvements we are seeing daily, and of course, when we talk about applications of technology in security, we look at drones.

“Nigeria is investing in drones, they can determine and look at where these culprits are, where they are hiding. Of course, it isn’t a hundred percent accurate science yet.

“By the time they (bandits) know that you have viewed them, they might hide in some places.

“But the hiding places are diminishing, and so technology is being deployed to assist in the security architecture of our defence.”

According to him, the technology has started yielding positive results in Nigeria’s security architecture.

Arise also noted that the Federal Government is leveraging Information and Communication Technology beyond security, citing the growing role of digital tools in the administration of social safety nets and data-driven governance.

“In the past, it was a major challenge to accurately determine who qualified for government financial support.

“But with the National Identity Numbers, it has become easier to identify beneficiaries and track government disbursements,” Arise explained.

The former lawmaker highlighted ongoing initiatives in the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, pointing out that thousands of youths are now receiving training in app development, software engineering, and digital entrepreneurship,with many working remotely and earning in foreign currency.

“This government is empowering young people to create value globally, without even having to leave the country

“It’s a major step forward for our digital economy,”Arise said.

He, however, acknowledged that more can still be done and stressed that the responsibility of nation-building should not be left to the government alone.

Drawing parallels with the United States, he emphasized the role small businesses play in driving the economy and urged similar support for entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

“I have never worked in the civil service; from day one, I’ve believed in enterprise.

“We need policies that encourage people to innovate and add value to this country,” he said.

As a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, Arise called on the National Assembly to take a more proactive role in supporting local technology operators by initiating enabling legislation.

The APC chieftain said, “For example, we can have laws that mandate the approval of ICT licences within 90 days of application.

“We should also legislate policies that promote local production of tech hardware, like what led to the birth of Zinox Computers.”

Arise emphasised that supporting indigenous manufacturing doesn’t mean compromising on quality or competitiveness but rather creating a viable ecosystem for innovation and self-sufficiency.

“These are the kinds of strategic moves that will drive our tech industry forward.

“Legislation, combined with executive action, can help Nigeria become a hub of digital excellence,” the former lawmaker concluded.

https://punchng.com/ex-ekiti-senator-hails-fg-for-investing-in-drones/