Abiru: Nigerian youths need digital skills to compete in global economy

Tokunbo Abiru, senator representing Lagos east, says Nigeria needs to arm its youths with digital skills to be competitive in the global economy.

Speaking on his strides in office so far, Abiru said he is working to deliver on the promises he made during the electioneering campaign.

“Based on the findings of the needs assessment in January 2021, I kicked off the COVID-19 relief scheme for the vulnerable people in the Lagos east senatorial district and it has been running since then,” he said during a briefing in Lagos on Saturday.

“The beneficiaries include widows, women, unemployed youth, aged and people with physical disabilities drawn from the 98 wards in the 16 local governments and local council development areas. As of today, we have about 2,500 vulnerable members of society being catered for.

“In Ikorodu Central, Aga Primary School located in Borokini area was overstretched due to high enrolment of pupils. The four classrooms in the schools had become distressed and inadequate. I facilitated four blocks of 24 classrooms equipped with complements of furniture and 16 toilets and a solar-powered borehole.

“In Ibeju-Lekki, two blocks of 6 classrooms have been completed at RCM Primary School Iwerekun, Ibeju-Lekki. In Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, 1 block of 3 classrooms have also been delivered at Ajelogo Primary School. An ICT centre has also been facilitated at the Igbobi Junior High School, Somolu Lagos.

“Some other completed projects include the construction of a 40-bed health facility and dental centre at the Ikorodu campus of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH),  a 200-solar-powered street light fixed in the institution;  a 30-bed health facility at Mascara Health Centre in Agboiyi Ketu LCDA; a 960-spectator capacity mini-stadium in Epe.”

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH PERSONAL FOUNDATION

Abiru said one of his pledges during electioneering was to set up a foundation leveraging his experience in the corporate world to impact people’s lives, particularly the youth.

He said the desire birthed the Tokunbo Abiru Constituency Team (TACT) foundation.

“Three major projects are covered in it. The first is the bursary award to tertiary students which we started last year. About 600 people from this senatorial district benefitted. A micro small and medium enterprises scheme. The third is described as the Senator Abiru Innovation Lab (SAIL) — to address the major technological changes in the world,” he said.

“What we have done is to partner with Co-creation Hub (Cc-HUB), a technology and innovation company, to train youths in the senatorial district on relevant digital and innovation skills and build the best entrepreneurs that can compete in the ever-dynamic global economy.

“Our arrangement involves about five different programs: the tech talent development; startup accelerator for businesses to focus on creativity in using technology to drive their business; Lagos east teachers’ fellowship; business 101 for artisans and creatives, and the science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for senior secondary school students.

“I went further to announce a N100 million constituency intervention revolving loan at a very low concessional 6% interest rate per annum, which will be topped by additional N100m from the Bank of Industry (BOI), and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has also graciously pledged to add N100m, totalling N300m.”

Abiru said the N300m loan scheme will be unveiled in April for the benefit of MSMEs, artisans and tradesmen in Lagos east.

The senator said currently, over 150 students are participating in the five pilot programmes at the SAIL Centre in Ikorodu while over 1000 eligible applicants will be trained online — and the programmes are to run for six months.