The Institute of Information Management (IIM), has proposed to the Federal Government the establishment of a National Information Management Development Agency (NIMDA), which will be tasked with managing information generated by all government agencies.
Proposing the establishment of the agency at a news conference in Lagos, IIM recommended that the agency should be separated from the Ministry of Culture, and will ultimately help in managing the Information Lifecycle of data, documents, contents and archives generated by all government agencies.
According to IIM, the agency will also ensure enabling standards, specifications, processes, laws and policies are in place for good data and an information governance regime in the Country.
“We 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 content management in Nigeria. A possible separation of the Ministry from Culture and the ultimate establishment of a relevant agency (National Information Management Development Agency (NIMDA) would be better for Nigeria,” said Amb. (Dr) Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole, President of the Institute.
Oyewole believes that the establishment of such an agency will set a standard that will ensure only qualified and certified personnel are assigned to the management of government data and information.
The agency will also develop and promote best practices in government business processes and providing adequate training and monitoring for data and information management personnel in government.
Speaking further, Oyewole stated that it will also ensure 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.
According to him, the agency will also 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.
He said the world is in an exciting time with data and technology at the heart of many major transformational initiatives and policies, in both public and private organizations. Thus, IIM is out to position the Information Management Industry for better recognition by organizations and government in society.
Oyewole noted that the pace of change and the challenges of the digital era means countries are not only seeing new opportunities but are also facing new risks, stressing that strong leadership and professionalism in data, information, records, contents and knowledge management is key, both to seizing opportunities and meeting the challenges ahead.