Chinenye Anuforo
The Lagos State government has said it will re-constitute the innovation advisory council with public and private sector stakeholders to ensure the continued growth of technology in Nigeria.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of Digitest 2019, organised by Digital Peers International, in Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu noted that the state was doing a lot to encourage science and technology among youths, while commending the efforts of the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment/founder, Digitest, Ibukun Odusote.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos state Ministry of science and technology, Segun Adeniji, said, “I congratulate the management of Digitest for consistently bridging the uniform gap between african youths and their peers in the western world. Digitest started out as an annual creative scheme to feed young minds with requisite information and communication skills that will enhance their capacity to contribute to the manpower asset to drive socio-economic activities in Nigeria”
Speaking further, Sanwo-Olu noted that Lagos has continuosly partnered with private organisations and in its commitment to sustain the trajectory of growth in the state, it made wide ranging consultations and decided to focus on 6 development pillars.
He said, “we will re-constitute the innovation and advisory council with public and private sector stakeholders. Also we need to partner with the private sector in re-positioning Lagos as preferred state through training and job placement activities and about 1000 youths will be trained. The capacity of teachers in our public schools will be further developed and we will continue to empower the youths as they are the future of tomorrow”.
Corroborating, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and founder, Digitest, Ibukun Odusote, while thanking the Lagos state government, noted that there is an urgent need for open government principles in tailored stakeholder engagement.
Her words, “This is the 19th edition and from what we have been doing, it goes to show that there is a lot of hope coming from Nigeria from these young generation. The theme, e-governance: accountability, creativity and transparency is centered on nation building, governance and also techniques that can be deployed in settling issues around governance.
The lack of accountability, creativity and transparency is a major barrier to the development of an economy. So there is an urgent need for open government principles in tailored stakeholder engagement as this would lead to reforms that will ultimately help in effective policy, budgeting and implementation”.