Abia plans to leverage digital tech to train 10, 000 women on business, IT skills; 26 youths on cyber security
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State government has revealed its intentions to leverage on digital technology to train about 10, 000 women on business and information technology skills.
Similarly, the government is to also train 26 youths in cyber security to enhance security in the state.
These were part of the resolutions adopted by the State Executive Council during its weekly meeting on Monday.
Addressing newsmen on the outcome of Executive Council meeting, Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, Commissioner for Digital Economy, Small and Medium Enterprises, Dr. Matthew Ekwuribe, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said time has come for the the state to leverage on information technology to drive the development of the state.
The Commissioner for Information said that the training of the 10, 000 Abia would be a joint effort between the state government, in partnership with Enterprise Development Centre, and in Collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Abia State, Mrs Nkechinyere Otti, as well as the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Kanu said the process of training about 10, 000 young women in Abia State would commence soon.
“This is a project that will focus on capacity building and business support programmes. The call for applications for this will soon commence. And of course, we all know all these are pointing towards one direction: building capacity for Abians in diffierent areas of SMEs, stand-alone Information and Technology (IT) experts,” the Commissioner said.
According to Kanu, “the overriding interest of the state government is to ensure that as many people as possible acquire IT skills that will help them in the future.”
Kanu went further to announce that the state governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, has sponsored the participation of 26 individuals in cyber security certification examiniations by the state.
He added that the sponsorship was provided through the Ministry of Digital Economy and Small and Medium Enterprises.
“This initiative is meant to substantially increase the number of cyber security experts in the state.
“Of course, you know that this is the way to go in this era of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“You have to have people who are good in cyber security so they can help the government to maintain security generally in the state,” the Commissioner explained.
