Digital Inclusion: Empowerment of Persons Living with Disabilities top priority – NITDA

The Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa says nurturing entrepreneurship skills through the use of ICT among Persons Living with Disabilities(PLWDs), is one of the agency’s top priorities.

He added that this will create the desired social and economic outcomes which will inturn facilitate innovative and  technology-driven economic growth for Nigeria.

Inuwa stated this at the opening ceremony of a 5-day training programme organized for People Living with Disabilities (PLWD’s) at the Enugu State Technology Hub and Youth Innovation Centre, Enugu, South East, Nigeria.

Represented by the Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy department of the Agency, Dr Collins Agu, the DG said that the 5-day training programme is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy which is being implemented by NITDA.

He explained that the aim of the empowerment programme is to equip the  PLWDs through investments in ICT infrastructure, policies and solutions to enable them live productive lives and to give them a sense of inclusion in the IT ecosystem, their immediate society and globally.

Inuwa further said that “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 pursuing their livelihoods,” 

The Director-General said the training will also boost the digital literacy and proficiency of participants in the fast-growing digital economy and entrepreneur ecosystem.

He noted that the programme is also in line with the vision of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, aimed at ensuring that Nigerians are empowered with Information Technologies through the development of a critical mass of IT proficient and globally competitive manpower.

Speaking on the theme of the programme, tagged: Training in IT and Entrepreneurship, the NITDA Boss said this signified the need to leverage entrepreneurial technologies and job creation especially in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He reiterated that Communications Ministry’s  road map, which pledges; “Leave no one behind, ensures the full and equitable participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of the society, particularly in the ICT ecosystem,“

The NITDA Boss highlighted some of the Agency’s achievements through this initiative in other parts of the country “The Agency 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,“ he stated.

This, he said, necessitated the need for the agency to bring the programme to Enugu state with the purpose of using ICT to improve the entrepreneurship skills of persons living with disability in the region.

Inuwa noted that studies have shown that people with disabilities experience high level of discrimination in the society which affects their social and economic dispositions, hence the need for training that will 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,“ the DG reiterated

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 sustainable National growth and development.

The Executive Governor of Enugu State,  Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who was represented by the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Obi Kama, expressed delight to be part of the laudable training initiated by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and thanked NITDA for implementing the training of Persons Living with Disabilities in the State.

He said that massive unemployment, due to the post-COVID-19 pandemic, has prompted the State Government in taking proactive steps ensuring that youths of the state leverage the new entrepreneurial and economic opportunities associated with the digital economy.

Governor Ugwuanyi  disclosed that this had 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,” the Governor maintained

He added that “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”.

Other dignitaries present at the event were the Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Enugu State on ICT, Mr Emeka Ani, the Sarikin Hausa of Enugu State, Sarikin Yusuf  Sambo II, the Coordinator of the Non-Governmental Organization, Helpsfair Foundation, Mrs Sandra Gabriel amongst many others.

PIAK