By Stellamaris Ashinze
Lagos – Lagos State Government says it is deploying technology and innovation for effective service delivery.
Mr Toba Otusanya, Director-General, Office of Innovation, Transformation and Creativity, made this known on Tuesday at the sixth edition of the Social Media Week (SMW) Lagos.
He spoke on “Making Lagos the Innovative Capital of Africa’’.
The 2018 SMW Lagos has the theme: “Closer’’.
Otusanya said that one of such deployment in Citizens Gate, a Lagos State Government social platform, which enables the citizens to interact, secure services from or make complaints to the government online.
Odulana said that the platform was bringing government closer to the people.
According to him, many individuals with problems were afraid of coming to government offices to lodge complaints
“Lagos State Government has developed Citizens Gate, and it can be accessed on the web or downloaded as an app on mobile phone.
“Citizens Gate is to bring governance to people. It enables them to communicate with government.
” This is one creativity we have put in place to bring government closer to the people, ” he said.
The official said that the platform would allow one to make an enquiry, with a ticket issued at every enquiry, which would be used to address the issue and give a feedback.
“This is one of the ways it could be said that government is raising technology to deliver service,’’ Otusanya said.
The director-general said that the government was trying to create innovations across the state by working with the private sector.
According to him, the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation is collaborating with tertiary institutions in the state in research.
“A lot of innovation actually comes from tertiary institutions.
“I know that the Lagos State Government is doing all it can to promote these institutions in the ecosystem because they have a major role to play.
“Even what we are doing here with the Employment Trust Fund is also part of the collaboration.
”We need to see how government can support the private sector to continue to innovate,’’ Otusanya said.
Mr Akin Oyebode, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that innovation would create much jobs.
Oyebode said that tech startups in the state had recorded high growth success in job creation ” in the last five to 10 years”.
He said that the startups had been organic growth for Lagos which, he said, was one of their hubs.
“The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is to ensure that Lagos is the notation hub of Africa,’’ Oyebode said.