The Federal Government has been urged to encourage young Nigerians to pick interest in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) so as to accelerate Nigeria’s technological advancement.
A foundation, Sustainable Initiatives for Nurturing Group (SING), made the call at a conference organized by the foundation on Monday.
Mr. Idris Usman, the Executive Director of the foundation said that encouraging the youths in the area of ICT would enable them to contribute to the country’s economy effectively.
“So we call on the Federal Government to ensure that more Nigerian youths are steered towards technology to bridge the gap between our technological advancement and that of other countries where children contribute to the economy using technology.
“We have supported human capital development in our focus community by constructing a school, equipped with a library as well as an ICT centre and provided 24-hour power supply.
“We have also equipped 12 schools in Bayelsa State with ICT as well as engaged in budget monitoring, infrastructure and education assessment in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
On Ogoni cleanup in Rivers State, Usman noted that Ogoniland was one major place that needed cleanup in the Niger Delta, saying that there are so many places that needed to be cleaned up in the region.
He also called on the Federal Government to work on the Ogoni cleanup and set up an investigative team to look at issues affecting the livelihood of the people of Niger Delta.
According to him, all the villages that require cleanup should be taken into consideration so as to improve their livelihood.
“Federal Government should pay attention to this so that by the time it is done with the Ogoniland cleanup it will have more issues to deal with in the region.
“There are some communities that if you go there today they are in sorry state and nobody is talking about those communities.
“The people of those communities cannot farm or fish, how will they survive in that kind of environment?
“People who make money from fishing, people who make money from their little agricultural proceeds can no longer farm because they don’t have land anymore.
“We will not stop to call on the Federal Government to do what is right, we will not stop to call on the oil companies and the communities to also do what is right because improvement in the Niger Delta is a collective effort,” he said.
Usman, however, suggested that the Federal Government should lay out plans that would sustain the country’s economy for the improvement of the Niger Delta region and Nigeria in general.
“Because if there is no oil today what will be the fate of Niger Delta region, so we are also calling on the Federal Government to lay out a long term plan for the sustainability of the Nigerian economy.”
Similarly, Mr Mohammed Basah, the Finance and Control Manger of SING, said that the foundation had the mandate to address the issues of youth restiveness and crime, environmental degradation and unemployment among others in the Niger Delta region.
SING foundation is a non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit organisation founded in 2008.
Its focal states are Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Imo and Abia.
