The Director General, NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, while declaring the five-day training, tagged “Digital skills for artisans” open on Monday, in Abeokuta, the state capital, said that it was designed to equip and empower young artisans with the necessary digital skills for self sustenance.
Abdullahi, represented by the Project Supervisor, Muhammed Abdulraheem, said that the primary objective of the initiative was to furnish participants with the basic IT skills necessary for today’s digital age.
According to him, the training would also address the myriads of problems confronting the nation, especially the shortage of skills among the unemployed and underemployed youths.
He added that it would make them generate higher revenue, thereby increasing the nation’s Gross Domestic Product as well as reducing the unemployment ratio.
He said that the agency through nationwide training of local artisans in different sectors was committed to ending the incursion of foreign artisans into the Nigerian labour market.
“Digital literacy skills and information technology tools are inadequate among youths and under-employed in Nigeria.
“In order to address such, there is the need to equip the youths with the right IT skills and tools so as to create more digital awareness and jobs.
“This will in turn improve the digital economy, in line with the agency’s mandate,” Abdullahi said.
He said that the purpose of the training was to empower the participants to be able to use the basic tools of IT.
“They are also going to be equipped with necessary ICT gadgets like laptops, which they are going to be using constantly to learn more,” he said.
Abdullahi said the participants were drawn from the six local government areas of Ogun Central Senatorial District.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke on the training, thanked the Federal Government for giving them the opportunity to acquire more skills in ICT.
They advocated that the programme be extended to other parts of the state to accommodate more beneficiaries.
One of the beneficiaries, Adeyemi Imoleayo said, “I intend to use my newfound skills to teach students how to operate computer systems. People can leverage these skills for legitimate business endeavours, simplifying their daily operations.
“My advice for NITAD is that they should continue to help the youths so that Nigeria can become a better place for everyone to live in.”
