Emma Okonji
The Imo State Youths Digital Skills Empowerment Programme, known as SkillupImo Project, has received cash and technical support from the private sector that would boost the project.
The digital skills project is being implemented by the state government, under the watch of the State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma.
According to a statement that was released by the state’s Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government, and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Sandra Obiefule, two individuals, the Founder of Zinox Technologies, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, and the President/Chief Executive Officer of Inno & Bisco Groups, Mr. Innocent Chibuzor Unoha, have demonstrated their support to the state government’s vision to transform Imo State citizens into global citizens with relevant digital skills in the 21st century.
The statement said that Ekeh made a cash donation of N12.5 million to support the effort of the state governor in the training and empowerment of Imo State citizens with employability skills in the emerging and mainstream technologies.
Zinox Technologies is one of Africa’s most integrated Information and Communication Technology’s (ICT) company.
Ekeh, an illustrious son of Imo State and Forbes rated billionaire, has also supported the Imo digital initiative in the area of job creation.
Similarly, Unoha, an entrepreneur of note, tech enthusiast and philanthropist, who is based in Istanbul, Turkey, donated 10 units of high-end modern laptops to the ministry in support of the SkillupImo initiative of Hope Uzodimma’s administration.
Commenting on the donations by the two individuals, the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government in Imo State, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, said that the gestures were a welcome development and a clear testimony of the general appeal, which the SkillUpImo Project has generated since it was launched in December, 2022.
Amadi described as a good sign of public buy-in of the forward thinking and innovative leadership of Uzodimma’s administration.
He said that the gestures were symptomatic of the donors’ philanthropic and corporate social responsibility towards the development of Imo State.
Amadi, who called on other corporate bodies, illustrious sons and daughters of Imo State and well-meaning Nigerians to come forward and support the noble project of rescuing the future generation and equiping them with relevant digital skills, stated that the private sector partnership and collaboration in digital economy remained very crucial as it would drive businesses, speed up innovation, create jobs, wealth, and aid in building modern, sustainable and reliable infrastructure in the state.
The SkillupImo Project is the premier human capacity development programme that is focused on empowering Imo State citizens with cutting-edge digital skills that would keep them relevant in the 21st century with the target to, among others, train 300,000 youths over the next three years.
They would be trained in both entry and advanced-level digital skills such as computer appreciation, device repairs and maintenance, content creation, web design and development, Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data Analytics, cyber security, among others, in order to drive ICT-enabled social economic growth and development in the state, the statement further said.
