Africa : The partnership between Edo state government and some members of the organized private sector in various areas of human endeavour has started to yield positive results as the American Tower Company, ATC, Nigeria, recently handed over the Digital Skills Village Project it built in Benin City to the Edo State Government.
The Digital Skills Village Project sited at Benin City, was built by ATC Nigeria as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to provide computer training to youths in the area.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Governor Godwin Obaseki assured that training would commence immediately at the Digital Skills Village pointing out that trainees are on ground for the take-off.
Governor Obaseki who was represented by Mr Eseosa Egharevba, Head of Employer Engagement and Partnership on Skill Development Program, Governor’s Office, said the project is an integral part of the state Innovative Project by the governor, stating that government is focusing on digital skill acquisition of the youths as it’s imperative in today’s human capital development.
“This is an innovation, an integral part of Edo Innovative Project. We already have students that will start to train• There is no way a state will develop without focusing on this integral sector”.
While thanking ATC Nigeria for the gesture and for being a responsible corporate citizen, the governor assured that the facility will be protected from vandalism.
Obaseki further assured that the state government will continue to partner ATC and Local Government Councils for the maintenance of the facilities in other locations like Ekpoma and Irrua where replicas of the project are domiciled.
“I thank the entire ATC Nigeria for this project. We’ will ensure there is dedicated security patrol to secure the project area and we will also partner with ATC Nigeria to ensure supervision and monitoring of the project.
“We will ensure we partner local authority in various Local Government Councils to ensure these facilities are used for the purpose it is established for,” the governor said.
Obaseki disclosed that there are legislation in place to ensure continuity and that the project will outlive the present administration.
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of PEES Electrical Ltd, the contracting firm that handled the project for ATC Nigeria, Mr Peter Balogun stated that the Digital Skills Village Project is designed to complement the state’s ICT hub which was commissioned in Benin City, Thursday, by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Balogun said the project is a corporate social responsibility project of ATC Nigeria that was designed to train youths in digital and other software skills and capacity building.
While handing over the facility to Edo state government, the Chief Operating Officer/Project Manager of PEES Electrical Ltd, Mr. Areola Bolurinwa, said the centre will manage all elementary trainings and trainees would thereafter be taken to the state ICT hub at the old Institute of Continuing Education, ICE for further training.
The ATC Nigeria has also built a similar digital skills training centres at Ekpoma and Irrua in Edo state and some other states in Nigeria.
Highpoint of the occasion was the cutting of the tape to declare the digital centre opened by the Governor’s representative, Mr. Eseosa Egharevba and handing over of the keys to centre by a representative of ATC Nigeria.
Note: News shared for public awareness with reference from the information provided at online news portals.
