From Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has commenced a 5-day training program with People Living with Disabilities (PLWD’s) to facilitate innovative, technology-driven economic growth, through the use of ICT.
The ceremony which held at the Enugu State Technology Hub and Youth Innovation Centre, hosted the Director Genral of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, who was represented by NITDA’s Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr Collins Agu.
While giving his remarks, the NITDA boss, said that the aim of empowering the special needs persons with ICT skills, digital literacy and its applications is to prop up their relationship with people and the world at large.
He added that the primary purpose of the training programme is geared towards empowering PLWD’s through investments in ICT infrastructure, policies and solutions with the aim of enabling them live productive lives, and to give them a sense of inclusion in the IT ecosystem.
The DG said: “the objective of the training is to build capacities of people living with disabilities, make them employable and self-reliant in order to have effective economic independence in pursing their livelihoods.”
He explained that the programme is in line with the vision of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, aimed at ensuring that the entire citizenry are empowered with Information Technologies through the development of a critical mass of IT proficient and globally competitive manpower.
He stated that NITDA has trained over 175 persons throughout the country and has created over 1000 jobs because the programme which is a ‘train the trainer’ has an exponential ripple effect. This, he said, necessitated the need for the agency to bring the event to Enugu state with the purpose of using ICT to improve the entrepreneurship skills of persons living with disability in the region.
He assured that studies have shown that people with disabilities experience high level of discrimination in the society which consequently have effects on their social and economic dispositions, however, the training programme will potentially make significant improvements in their lives. It will, no doubt, give them opportunities to enhance their social, cultural, political and economic integration in the society while at the same time, expanding the scope of opportunities available to them.
He therefore urged participants to take the opportunity of the training seriously and make the best use of it to promote innovation and wealth for a sustainable National growth and development.
Also speaking, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who was represented by the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Hon Obi Kama, expressed his delight to be part of the training and thanked the agency for implementing the training of PLWD.
He said that massive unemployment, due to the post COVID-19 pandemic, has prompted the State Government in taking proactive steps in ensuring that youths of the state leverage on the new entrepreneurial and economic opportunities associated with digital economy which led to the establishment of the Enugu State Technology Hub and Youth Innovation Centre.
“It was therefore necessary to empower the PLWD’s in the ‘New Normal’ situation through capacity building programmes on ICT which will accelerate their opportunities in tapping into the endless possibilities unlocked by digitalization,” he said.
“I appreciate the inclusive nature of this training organized by NITDA in bridging the digital divide among PLWD’S in the South-East, especially Enugu State. The State Government is willing to partner with NITDA by making available an office space for the Agency to set up her South-East Zonal office” the Governor assured.
