By peter oluka
The recently concluded 2017 Summit on Information Management organised by the Institute of Information Management (IIM), has highlighted a number of issues bothering around Information deficit, sharing, exchange and misinformation between the government and the governed.
Speaking at the 2017 National Summit, at the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) House, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria, Dr. Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole, president of the Institute highlighted the importance and how Information has really proven to be an effective and veritable tool of human co-existence, and why the effective management and dissemination of information is highly essential for any country or organisation to thrive.
He further affirmed that in order to boost effective information and communication gap between the government and the governed, it has become necessary for government to change with the changing times, and one of the areas where change has become necessary is in communication.
“Today’s information management technology and communication tools are enabling small, medium-sized, and large organisations to achieve increase in efficiency across the board, remain productive wherever they are, simplify Information management and communication, resolve so many issues bothering around Information deficit, sharing, exchange and misinformation between the government and the governed and stimulate greater citizen engagement.
“Government need to developing an information management and communication strategy with a policy framework for sustainable and useable structures to support electronic information, communication and service delivery.
This will also help to Identify some of the internal and external information management and communication challenges that need to be addressed, what tools can be used to solve these challenges and ultimately work with information management and communication professionals on how to determine the right tools to use for both internal and external management of information and communication”, he said.
Panelists at the Summit also suggested the need for government to create an enabling environment where the governed can easily access government information, and the need for enabling laws to be in place so as to facilitate effective communication.
Among the panelists are Mr. Montana John Christian, CEO Montaña & Associates, Colorado, USA, Amb. (Dr) Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole, Chairman/President, Institute of Information Management, Mrs. Fapohunda Tiwalade, Deputy Director, FCT Archives and History Bureau, and Michelle Behr. University of Minnesota, Morris USA.