Chinenye Anuforo
The Institute of Information Management Africa (IIM Africa) has urged the Federal Government (FG) to restructure the Ministry of Information and Culture for effective management of government data.
The President/Chairman, Governing Council of IIM Africa, Dr. Oyedokun Ayodeji, disclosed this at the National Information Management Stakeholders Forum held in Lagos over the weekend.
He also said that IIM Africa believes time is ripe for the establishment of the National Information Management Development Agency (NIMDA) to ensure a good data and information governance regime in the country.
“The National Information Management Stakeholders’ Forum would like to recommend the need for the Ministry of Information and Culture to be transformed and repositioned to enable it to take its rightful position as it concerns data, information, records, archives, and contents management in Nigeria.
“A possible separation of the Ministry from Culture and the establishment of a relevant agency (National Information Management Development Agency (NIMDA) which will be tasked with managing the information cycle of data, information, documents, contents and archives generated by all government agencies, ensuring enabling standards, specifications, processes, laws, and policies are in place for a good data and information governance regime in the country.
“Setting the standards and ensuring that qualified and certified personnel are assigned to the management of government data and information. Developing and promoting best practices in government business processes and providing adequate training and monitoring for data and information management personnel in government.
“Ensuring all government MDAs comply with standards, processes, procedures, and specifications as it applies to data, information, records, content, and archives use, classification, storage, collaboration, retention, and disposition.
“Work with other relevant government agencies in ensuring appropriate information management and technology tools are deployed at all government MDAs for effective information security and governance and so on,” Ayodeji said.
While noting that the pace of change and the challenges of the digital era has propelled new opportunities, he also said the industry is facing new risks.
Ayodeji stated that strong leadership, governance and professionalism in data, information, records, contents and knowledge management is key, both to seizing opportunities and meeting the challenges ahead.
He noted that government and a good number of organisations are yet to regard data and information as essential corporate assets, with a clear understanding of the difference between Information Technology and Information Management (IM).