The Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation CTO has launched an electronic library, e-library in Ebonyi State which is christened the ’Abakaliki Girls-in-ICT’ – Information and Communication Technologies.
The inauguration of the Abakaliki Girls-In-ICT was held at the Model Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Ugwuachara in the Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The Secretary General of CTO, Benedict Lewis, during a zoom virtual meeting congratulated the coordinator of the ICT project in the state, Patrick Edeh and urged the students to utilize the opportunity to develop their potential.
She noted that ICT brings rise to development as it focuses on delivering information and communication to people around the globe through computer technology devices in everyday life.
The CTO Secretary-General observed that a girl child has suffered set back in having access to develop themselves in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
She expressed confidence that with the project many girl children from the state would be encouraged in no distant future to modify themselves and urged them to shun low self-esteem in society while pursuing their visions.
The Chief Executive Officer of Restore the Sense of ‘I Can’, Raji Randmass and the former CTO Secretary General, Sholar Taylor equally urged the beneficiaries of the programme to make good of the opportunity during a zoom virtual meeting.
ICT hub
The State Coordinator of the Project, Patrick Edeh said that the programme was initiated to make Abakaliki the ICT hub of southeast Nigeria.
The State coordinator made this promise as he recalled that Abakaliki people especially the girl children have been lagging in education, especially in ICT compliance and other related professions.
He said the project would change the ugly narratives of Abakaliki, noting that in no distant future, “when you need anything in ICT you refer to Abakaliki.
“That’s why we are working hard to make Abakaliki the ICT hub of the southeast, we should get this child early, and groom them into the ICT profession so that they will take over the future”. He said.
The Principal of the Model Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Ugwachara in Ebonyi LGA of Ebonyi State, Mrs. Comfort Aniagor commended the CTO and Governor David Umahi-led government for their contributions towards improving the education of girl children in the state.
She, however, noted that the academic activities of the school are in confrontation with huge challenges as according to her, the institution needs re-roofing and equipping the school laboratory and the classroom blocks blown off by the wind.
The Principal requested the provision of toilet facilities for teachers’ and students’ convenience, office chairs and tables for teachers, recruitment of security to guide the school, and fencing of the school and its hostel, among others.
The students and the beneficiaries of the programme through the Deputy Senior Prefect, Miss Nneji Moria thanked the CTO, State government and the school management for availing the opportunity and promised to make good use of it for societal advancement.
The highlights of the event were a welcome song by the students and talks on the place of a girl child in the development of our society by the founder of Tomorrow is a Girl Child Initiative – Lucy Ogodo, who told the beneficiaries that every girl child has a chance to improve themselves, stressing the project can take them afar to exploit future, amongst other contributions.
Olusola Akintonde
