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FG Trains 6624 Nigerians On Digital Skills Across 11 States
As part of Federal Government’s commitment to actualise a digitally literate citizenry and facilitate a stable digital economy, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), flagged off training of 6624 Nigerians through its Digital States Initiative in commemoration of International Literacy Day.
The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) while delivering his keynote address at the virtual Opening Ceremony of Digital States Initiative to celebrate International Literacy Day with the theme “Literacy for a Digital Nigeria”, stated that the programme is aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with the necessary digital literacy skills that can facilitate Nigeria’s transition to a digital economy.
Prof Pantami quoted United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) definition of literacy in 2005 as the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute using printed materials associated with varying context. Adding that, Literacy involves a continuum of learning and enabling individuals achieve his or her goals.
He said, “Digital literacy on the other hand refers to those things we need to read, learn and work in a society where communication and access to information is predominantly through digital technologies and innovations like the internet platforms, social media and mobile devices”.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr Bitrus Bako Nabasu, noted that the programme seeks to invest in human capital development in preparation for the impact of digitisation and digitalisation of Nigeria.
He mentioned that the international literacy day which is September 8th of every year is to raise awareness and concern for literacy problems that exist within our local communities and globally.
He cited the proclamation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1966 which was to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human right.
While making his remarks, the Director General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE noted that digital literacy is a key pillar in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), adding that “we have an ambitious target for 95 percent literacy in Nigeria by 2030”.
He stated that at NITDA, it was cascaded down to the Agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024) and also the draft National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Policy. This he said will help in building human capacity of Nigerians.
He said, “To succeed as a country in our journey to digital economy we need to invest hugely in building the digital capacity of our citizens.”
Abdullahi added that, building the capacity of the citizen is being taken from two angles; starting from basic, that every Nigerian should have the basic skills to use digital tools and benefit from services it offers. And the other angle he said is building competencies within the country so that digital services can be built digital for nation’s economic benefits.
He also stated, “we can address the African Free Trade Zone to expand our services to other african countries and globally. The reason why the NITDA is very focused on Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship that can help citizen build Innovation Driven Enterprise (IDE).
The Country Director of Microsoft in Nigeria, Mrs Ola Williams, while delivering her goodwill message commended the Ministry and NITDA for the initiative and assured the Agency that her organisation is focused on enabling digital skilling.
Mr Segun Ajayi, County Director of Oracle said the organizations is dedicated to making Nigeria the hub of digital economy and also empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through innovation.
Participants from across the country took turns to appreciate the Ministry, and NITDA for giving them such great opportunity that will prepare them for the future.
The 11 states where the training will be taking place are: Katsina, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna, Borno, Bauchi, Imo, Bayelsa, Niger, Nasarawa, and Abia States.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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