Peter Jack consolidates position as NITDA DG

When President Goodluck Jonathan approved the appointment of Mr Peter Olu Jack as the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for a first term of four years with effect from April 7^th  2014, it came to many as a surprise. However those could be said to be in the dark about the technical and administrative depth of the man, Peter Jack.

Prior to his appoint to replace by Prof. Cleopas Angaye, who retired in July 2013, having served for a maximum term of eight year, Mr Ashiru Daura, acted as the Director General of the agency until Jack's appointment.

A native of Abonnema in Rivers State of Nigeria, Mr. Peter Jack has been into private sector practice in the area of core information technology solutions and services since leaving NITDA in 2007. As a consummate technocrat, he is a product of International Information Technology Policy Program, College of Engineering, Seoul National University, South Korea. He holds a BSc. in Chemical Engineering, University of Ife, Ile Ife, a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA, both from the University of Lagos in Nigeria.

He represented the DG/CEO on several key national committees including the National Committee on Outsourcing, and the Public Service Reform Committee and led the team that wrote the National Outsourcing Policy. He set up the National Cisco Networking Academy Program in Nigeria. Mr. Jack designed and implemented the Niger Delta Youth Computer Training Program for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2003.

Peter Jack is also one of the receipents of the Global Fund Research Fellows between 2009 and 2010. The Global Environment and Conflict Resolution award was meant to fund the first phase (Research) of a grand intervention plan to ensure peace, social inclusion, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.

The research focused on exploring a consensus approach among stakeholders to identify the best path to peace-building in the Niger Delta. It will methodically review the current state of affairs in the Niger Delta Region in relation to level of threat to national security and stability as well as catalogue previous and current efforts at intervention in the Niger Delta.