The Abia State Government has said it is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Communication and Digital Economy to train three million young Nigerians in various aspects of digital economy.
The training which would be in two phases has the first phase covering 12 digital skills including animation, data science, data analysis and visualization, software development and artificial intelligence among others.
Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, disclosed this in Umuahia while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
He hinted that work had started at the both ends of the Aba – Port Harcourt Express Way and assured that one end of the road would be ready by the end of November while the other would be completed by the end of December 2023.
Kanu further disclosed that as part of the ongoing reforms in the education sector, the Ministry of Education would recommence the inspection of private schools in the State to ensure they meet minimum standard.
The Commissioner said that the State Executive Council have been encouraging Abia youths to think of making career in the security agencies including the Nigerian Police and Army, particularly as the Nigerian Police is recruiting at present.
He also stated that the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) was providing opportunities for young people and urged Abia youths to leverage on the opportunities to be employed, regretting that Abia State was lagging behind in the ongoing Nigerian Police recruitment exercise.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Digital Economy, Mathew Ekwuribe said that the registration for the digital skills training was ongoing and would end by the 1st of November while the training would be launched nation wide on 15th November, 2023.
He added that the training which would be done in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) could be registered through www.nitda.gov.ng and enjoined youths to enroll in it.
Ekwuribe further informed that Governor Alex Otti had subsidized the registration of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for 600 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) in the State and urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity to get their businesses registered. He disclosed that government would soon start Google mapping of Streets and businesses in Abia State, a process he noted would last till December, 2024, adding that the essence was to bring Abia to the limelight in online business. He also stated that the government would be establishing a One – Stop – Shop in Aba, while emphasizing that these plans were aimed at ensuring ease of doing business for the people of the State.
In his contributions, the Director General, Abia Orientation Agency, Dike Nwankwo said government would soon embark on campaign against Street trading, on roads as well as create awareness on waste management policies of the State. He maintained that the government frowns at the trading on the roads, and emphasized that the government would be hard on those who refuse to leave the roads and enjoined Abia people and residents to be part of the new Abia agenda.
