Written by:
Olofe Abiodun
Ekiti State government has again reiterated its commitment to the innovation of knowledge and development of youths in the area of digital technology.
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji made this known in Ado -Ekiti during the launch of innovation grant facility in Ekiti state, a sub component of Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills ( IDEAS), a world bank support project .
Oyebanji said the state has, within the last quarter of this year benefited from about 300 million naira grant to improve and revamp the technical colleges in Igbara Odo , Otun and Ijero as part of government efforts to reposition technical education in Ekiti state .
He said the funds will be made available to improve schools facilities,enhance girl child education,improve learning environment and enable skills acquisition among Ekiti youth .
The number one citizen of the state reassured investors of the readiness of his government to provide lands and required infrastructure for whoever that is interested in investing in technology, with a call on private sector partners in the area of innovative digital skills development capacity from within and outside the state to key into the initiatives aimed at creating a pool of investors with requisite digital and entrepreneurship skills.
“My appreciation goes to the world bank system and federal government of Nigeria for their consistent investment in human capital development programmes which have immensely benefited our dear state”, the governor said.
He solicited for more presence of the world bank projects in Ekiti state and assured that the state government would provide enabling environment for them and other international development partners to thrive for the benefit of Ekiti people.
Earlier the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Science and Technology, Dr Mrs Kofoworola Aderiye, said Ekiti state is privileged to be the only state that is benefiting from the project in the south west .
She said “the technical colleges are being addressed in the areas of their needs, rehabilitation of structures is ongoing, the selected technical colleges will be upgraded and everything will be provided for them including digital skills and they are already being linked with industries so that they can become marked relevant and address unemployment and youth restfulness in our society”.
Also the Special Adviser , government Reforms and Innovation, Mr Seun Fakuade said the Ekiti state knowledge zone, when fully operational will provide not less than 5000 jobs opportunities in ICT sector to the people of the state.
” When the knowledge zone becomes operational, all the investors in the world, like Apple, coming to the knowledge zone will have a requisite talent pool In Ekiti state to work there”.
While giving the general overview of the innovation grant facility, the state Programme Coordinator, Mrs Adenike Akinyemi enumerated the activities of the programme in Ekiti State to include training and empowerment of about 657 master craft persons in garment making, welding and fabrication and building construction.
She appreciated the state government for the enabling environment and interest in the acquisition of skills as she highlighted the four components of IDEAS projects which include “Partnership with industry for enhanced Quality and Labour -Market Orientation of public Technical Colleges” among others