By: Ubong Sampson — Uyo
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Bassey Albert has advised Nigerians to brace up and utilize the technological era, as technology has since overtaken the oil and gas industry in growth.
Albert made the assertion, recently, at a Digital Technology Hub in Uyo local government area of Akwa Ibom state while addressing students of the hub’s Graduate Retraining Programme.
The hub is a project initiated and funded by Senator Albert.
According to the economist cum politician, the digital and technological revolution in the world offers more prospects, opportunities and fortune.
He therefore advised the graduates who are undergoing the training to use the knowledge they will garner to add value to themselves and society rather than wait for limited white collar jobs or jump into politics.
“This training can empower you for the rest of your life. I am very, very delighted today because one of the deficiencies we have is that every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to be a politician. This training will help correct such mindset,” he added.
While commending instructors at the centre for the assiduous training of participants, Albert promised to continue utilizing their expertise in the running of the centre.
Manager of the hub, Elder Uduak Nse in his brief speech, announced that the 30 trainees drawn from the three Senatorial Districts of Akwa Ibom State were picked from over 1000 applicants who wrote aptitude tests prior to being admitted for the training.
Elder Nse lauded Senator Albert for insisting on transparency and merit in the selection of trainees for the Graduate scheme.
In his remarks, the IT Consultant/Lead Instructor, Mr Peter Francis Anokwu of Commit Technology & Consult Limited, said the free training initiative aimed at training several digital advocates and equipping them with world class Information and Communication Technology skills/certification would have cost each of them a minimum of N300,000 (three hundred thousand Naira).
Mr Anokwu commended Senator Albert for floating the scheme and making it possible for the graduates to access the training free of charge.
The IT/Training Administrator of Senator OBA Digital Hub, Mr Itoro Okon, on his part, noted that the training will address digital inadequacies of the trainees and instill world class technological practice to enable them compete favourably at the global stage.
