PARASTATALS SUPERVISED BY THE DEPARTMENT

• • Establishment and Administration of functional and reliable computer networks and Internet connectivity for Ministry;
  • Supervision of the implementation of National ICT Policy;
  • Establishment, coordination and maintenance of a standard portal that will facilitate access to Research and Development (R&D) activities and other relevant information in the Science and Technology Sector;
  • Maintenance of adequate ICT resources for the Ministry;
  • Coordination and supervision of ICT programs and projects of the Ministry;
  • Representing the Ministry in Inter-Ministerial, regional and international committees on ICT development and other related matters;
  • Participation in the establishment of ICT Park, ICT Institutes and other multi-task Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives;
  • Providing standards and specifications as well as leadership in the acquisition and implementation of ICT systems for the computerization of the Ministry’s operations;
  • Providing inputs for periodic review of National ICT Policy;
  • Representing the Ministry in Local and International ICT-related Conferences, Summit, Seminars and Workshops such as CTO, eNigeria, WSIS,  etc..
  • Liaise with International and regional ICT organizations such as ITU, NEPAD, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco etc in order to foster and promote national ICT development as well as keeping abreast with new developments;
  • Ensuring that the Ministry’s activities are ultimately IT driven.
  • Organizing, coordinating and carrying out ICT capacity building programmes for efficient, effective and timely service delivery;
  • Administering, maintaining, upgrading and expanding the  existing IT network facilities to meeting the increasing needs of the Ministry;
  • Making  recommendations for Outsourcing of ICT specialized requirements of Ministry;
  • Oversee the implementation of all ICT engineering infrastructure and development of Software applications to enhance e-government activities of the Ministry;
  • Provision of effective Administration of the Ministry’s website through content development and periodic updating;
  • Establish, operate and maintain  standard ICT Resource Centre and Databank for the Ministry;
  • Carrying out periodic performance evaluation of the Ministry’s ICT-based Parastatal/Agencies to ascertain their level of attainment of National Policy objectives.

   

  The ICT Department is made up of two divisions;

  1. Management Information System Division:

  The MIS division is responsible for the following functions:

  • Database Administration;
  • Designing, Recommending and Coordinating relevant ICT training for the staff of the Ministry;
  • Keeping log of the Ministry’s ICT operational status with a view to enhancing performance;
  • Providing advice on all aspects of Computer Software development and acquisition;
  • Responsible for data preparation, input, processing, analysis and presentation;
  • Ensuring proper documentation of all data/information;
  • Identifying the ICT training needs of the Ministry’s staff;
  • Designing, upgrading and maintaining of the Ministry’s portal;
  • Carrying out user requirement analysis for IT applications of the Ministry;
  • Carrying out electronic filing (storage) of relevant documents and information of the Ministry;
  1. Network and Technical Services (NTS) Division:

  The NTS Division is responsible for the following functions:

  • Implementing and Administering Networks Systems;
  • Configuring and Monitoring of Servers;
  • Providing advice on all aspects of Computer Systems and related ancillaries
  • Installation and Upgrading of Computer Systems in the Ministry;
  • Ensuring dedicated high quality Computer Power Supply System for the Computer and Network facilities;
  • Designing and maintaining internet and intranet facilities of the Ministry;
  • Trouble-shooting and documentation of all network related problems outlining specification and setting standard for ICT equipment;
  • Ensuring the availability of functional ICT facilities in the Ministry;
  • Operating an effective ICT Help Desk for the Ministry;

A number of IT projects were initiated and implemented starting from 2008 Appropriation, while projects proposed under the current year’s (2012) Budget are being processed for implementation. Some of the completed projects are as follows:

1. FMST Data Center: This consists of fully functional state of the art rack-mounted servers, complete with adequate electro-mechanical support systems (i.e. back-up power, cooling, bio-metric access control, etc) to enable a continuous (24/7) operation. It is conceived and implemented with enough capacity (up to 3 Terabytes of data) to host current and future applications of the Ministry.IT Resource center This is a 20-seater capacity computer Resource room (expandable to 30 in the near future), fully equipped with desk-top computers, back-up power, cooling systems, multi-media auto-drop projector/screen heavy-duty printers, scanners, etc. It is conceived and implemented to serve as a multi-purpose IT business unit for the Ministry. It can host training, seminars, workshops, etc, while providing IT services such as document preparation, printing, photocopying and binding, etc. All the desk-top computers are connected on a Local Area Network (LAN) to the internet and to the data center. Training resources and archived documents on the data center can therefore be accessed through any of the 20 computer units in this IT Resource center.
2. File tracking and Management System: In a bid to improve service delivery and avoid undue delays in attending to files and mails, file and mail tracking system has been successfully deployed in the Ministry. The Registries of the Honourable Minister, Permanent Secretary and all the Departments were equipped with the requisite systems and applications to ensure compliance. The report thus far has been encouraging, since movement of files and mails in the Ministry could be tracked electronically.
3. Time Attendance System: The time attendance system is used to monitor the time each member of staff resumes and closes from work. It is also been used to determine working of overtime and staff attendance. This system has been deployed successfully in the Ministry with the Biometric Data of each member of staff captured into the system for tracking of staff attendance and reduction in truancy. The Time Attendance system was successfully launched by the Hon Minister on Thursday 15th March, 2012 and is presently effective in the Ministry.
4. Store Inventory and Asset Management System: As a sure step of ensuring public expenditure management, the store inventory and asset management system was implemented in the Ministry to entrench a culture of accountability.
5. IP Surveillance Security Solutions (IPSSS): In view of the recent breaches of security in the country, the Ministry had deployed the IP Surveillance Security Solution technology to complement security personnel in monitoring movement within the office premises and reduce loitering. To this end video and audio cameras were installed at strategic locations in the Ministry.
6. Computer Hardware and Accessories: Additional computer hardware and accessories were recently procured by the Ministry for onward distribution to the Top Management and Directorate cadre staff of the Ministry. The system presently being used by the affected members of staff will be withdrawn and re-distributed down the ladder in the same Department. This will ensure that all Officers on Grade Levels 08 and above have access to computer systems in the Ministry. Also a 200 user Enterprise Network Anti-Virus was also procured for deployment to computer systems in use in the Ministry with a view to guarding against system failure due to spam ware/viral attack.
7. System Engineering for the National Database of Nigerian Scientists, Engineers and Technologists: The project involves the setting up of comprehensive databank of all Nigerian Scientists, Engineers and Technologists, at home and in the Diaspora including their research and development works and innovation. This will provide authoritative on-line reference on the activities of Nigerians in all areas of research in Science, Engineering and Technology and their achievements. This databank is conceived to be a one-stop resource centre that wills show-case the contribution of Nigerians to Science, Technology and innovation. Implementation is currently on going and is expected to be completed soonest.
8. Consultancy services for 2011 projects: An IT Consultant was engaged by the Ministry to effectively supervise the implementation of 2011 ICT projects in the Ministry. The consultant is expected to produce an ICT road map for the Ministry and implementation modalities. With the successful implementation of the above-listed projects, the FMST’s IT infrastructure is quite strong and very robust, capable of driving the Ministry’s operations in an efficient and effective manner.
9. Other Projects: Apart from the above-listed projects, the ICT Department is also involved in the implementation of the following:

• STEP-B’s Wide-Area Network and Web Portal project being supervised by the ICT Department. The project, conceived to provide effective intranet collaboration and messaging services between FMST Headquarters and its parastatals, is nearing completion, after some initial hiccups. The project contractor is Messrs Fibernet Solution Limited; Building Capacity of Staff in the field of ICT: The Ministry in collaboration with Galaxy Back Bone PLC conducted an in-house computer training programme for 289 members of staff of the Ministry on salary Grade Levels 08 to 16. The training programme focussed on Microsoft Office Suite covering packages like the MS word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint Presentation and use of the Internet;
• Maintenance, Repairs and technical operation of the Ministry’s ICT infrastructure, equipment and peripherals including scheduled provision of computer consumables and supplies, thereby ensuring continuity of service and facilitating good service delivery by various desk officers;
• Upgrade of the FMST website to an interactive and friendly web portal for effective dissemination of information supported by the United Nation Development Programme.

Other smaller projects handled and supervised by the ICT Department for other Departments of the Ministry include:

• The ITRRS server and workstation project for the Department of Finance and Account.
• The Databank of projects under the Presidential Standing Committee on Innovation and Invention for the TAA Department.
• The e-library project of the PRPA Department.

2012 Capital Project: In the proposed 2012 Appropriation Bill of the Federation, the sum of N47,253,513.00 (Forty Seven million, Two Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirteen Naira) only was allocated for the establishment of Data Bank for Nigerians contribution to science, technology and engineering sciences in Nigeria in the Ministry under Classification Code 23050101 of the Capital Budget. A Work Plan for the implementation of the Budget was drawn up by the Department, and the Project is currently been implemented.