… Restates commitment to wealth creation, shared prosperity
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji on Tuesday, launched the Ekiti State Digital Skill Academy, restating his administration’s commitment to wealth creation and shared prosperity.
Speaking at the launch and beneficiary orientation at the conference hall of the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti, the Governor said, making job creation and youth development number one of his administration’s six-point agenda is a pointer that his administration is particular about youth development.
The Governor who said about 500 youths would be given laptop computers and other devices to facilitate their learning process for the next one year of their intensive training, expressed confidence that through right knowledge and digital skill, vocational education, small and medium scale development, sport development and entertainment, Ekiti youth can get to any level in life and become financially independent.
The Governor however distributed 100 laptop computers to 100 of the participants, while others will also be given in the next batch
“As a people, you determine how much you go in life and you determine the height you want to reach, you can chose your own game and the speed at which you play the game, the fact that you are here in Ekiti State does not make you a second class citizen, I say no to that and we have brought everything to your door step” said the Governor.
Speaking further, Governor Oyebanji said Ekiti people are known to be educated and intelligent, adding that these attributes must be translated into wealth creation and not poverty which is why Ekiti Knowledge Zone was designed based on the peculiarity of Ekiti people.
“The Ekiti knowledge zone was designed based on the fact that we realize our own peculiarity as a people, they called Ekiti the state of intellectual, if a people are intelligent and knowledgeable they cannot be poor, so if we are known to be educated, intelligent, home of professors, then the thesis should be wealth creation and not poverty.” The Governor asserted.
While thanking Meta and Tech4Dev for partnering Ekiti State Government, Oyebanji urged the beneficiaries to maximize the advantage of the digital skills for legitimate jobs and poverty eradication.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Mr Akin Oyebode, who thanked the Governor for this giant strides said the programme was a fulfillment of Governor Oyebanji’s campaign promises of shared prosperity for the people of the state.
Oyebode hinted that the beneficiaries would be paid throughout the 12 months of their training and would be fixed for jobs at the completion of the programme.
In the same vein, the representative of Meta, Mr. Emeka Okafor and Tech4Dev, Mr. Joel Ogunsola in their separate goodwill messages commended Ekiti State Government for the initiative and charged the beneficiaries to give the training every seriousness it deserves.
Omolade Omotade, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries expressed her appreciation to the Governor for the opportunity and promised to maximize the opportunity to better their lives.
Also at the event were the Head of Service, Barrister Bamidele Agbede, Commissioner for Education Dr. Kofoworola Aderiye, Special Adviser on Governance Mr. Seun Fakuade.