TECHDIGEST – As part of efforts to promote digital inclusion, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has assured that it would continue to give equal opportunities to the vulnerable especially People Living with various forms of disabilities in the country.
This assurance was made by Kashifu Inuwa, the NITDA’s Director-General at the just concluded five days training and empowerment program on Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship program organized for People Living With Disabilities, (PLWD), the South-South edition which was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The NITDA boss who was represented at the closing ceremony by Aristotle Onumo, the Acting Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, maintained that empowering differently able people in our society would promote digital inclusion.

While describing digital transformation as one of the panaceas to the mirage of problems confronting the nation, Inuwa maintained that training and empowering the PLWD is part of the initiatives to lift Nigerians out of poverty, hence the approval of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, NDEPS, by president Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

He said the training and empowerment for the “differently able” in our society are to make them financially independent and close the digital divide created by their conditions.

He further states that; “the empowerment program is one of the many opportunities given to Nigerians towards the implementation of the NDEPS agenda.

This program also speaks to three pillars of NITDA’s Strategic RoadMap and Action Plan, SRAP 2021-2024, which are Digital Transformation, Digital Inclusion, and Digital Literacy and Skills, all of which were designed to make Nigeria a sustainable digital economy.”

“Through the training, NITDA has been able to provide opportunities for participants to acquire the ability to use digital technology to create an enterprise that would culminate into wealth creation”, he said.

Inuwa, while encouraging the beneficiaries of the empowerment program to continue to engage in personal development which would aid the increase of their productivity added that they should return to their various communities and transfer the knowledge to others.

The Director-General affirmed the NITDA’s continual inclusion of PLWD in all its initiatives adding that attaining a digitally inclusive society requires collaborative efforts from all stakeholders.

While encouraging the PLWDs to be more industrious, Inuwa quoted Dr. Ashi Mary Magdalene of the Department of the Special Education University of Calabar who posits that “no matter how disabled anyone is, they should not feel sorry for themselves. The disabled are not special, just a little different.”

The lead, Technical and Operations, Rivers State ICT Department, Mr. Austin Dimkpa who represented the State government at the closing ceremony remarked that the empowerment program provides an opportunity for the beneficiaries to join the league of the financially stable people in the world adding that the 10 richest people in the world are in the Information Technology sector.

While expressing his profound appreciation to NITDA for training and empowering the PLWDs in Rivers State with computers and IT working tools, he advised beneficiaries to make judicious use of the tools to better their lots and reduce their reliance on other people.

The post NITDA Assures Continuous Support for PLWD appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has assured that it would continue to give equal opportunities to the vulnerable especially People Living with various forms of disabilities in the country.

This assurance was made by the NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, at the just concluded five days training and empowerment program on Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship program organized for People Living With Disabilities, (PLWD), the South-South edition which was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Represented at the closing ceremony by the Acting Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Aristotle Onumo, the NITDA boss maintained that empowering differently able people in our society would promote digital inclusion.

While describing digital transformation as one of the panaceas to the mirage of problems confronting the nation, Inuwa maintained that training and empowering the PLWD is part of the initiatives to lift Nigerians out of poverty, hence the approval of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, (NDEPS), by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

He said the training and empowerment for the “differently able” in our society are to make them financially independent and close the digital divide created by their conditions.

He further stated that; “the empowerment program is one of the many opportunities given to Nigerians towards the implementation of the NDEPS agenda. This program also speaks to three pillars of NITDA’s Strategic RoadMap and Action Plan, SRAP 2021-2024, which are Digital Transformation, Digital Inclusion, and Digital Literacy and Skills, all of which were designed to make Nigeria a sustainable digital economy.”

“Through the training, NITDA has been able to provide opportunities for participants to acquire the ability to use digital technology to create an enterprise that would culminate into wealth creation”, he said.

Inuwa, while encouraging the beneficiaries of the empowerment program to continue to engage in personal development which would aid the increase of their productivity added that they should return to their various communities and transfer the knowledge to others.

The Director-General affirmed the NITDA’s continual inclusion of PLWD in all its initiatives adding that attaining a digitally inclusive society requires collaborative efforts from all stakeholders.

While encouraging the PLWDs to be more industrious, Inuwa quoted Dr. Ashi Mary Magdalene of the Department of the Special Education University of Calabar who posits that “no matter how disabled anyone is, they should not feel sorry for themselves. The disabled are not special, just a little different.”

The lead, Technical and Operations, Rivers State ICT Department, Austin Dimkpa who represented the State government at the closing ceremony remarked that the empowerment program provides an opportunity for the beneficiaries to join the league of the financially stable people in the world adding that the 10 richest people in the world are in the Information Technology sector.

While expressing his profound appreciation to NITDA for training and empowering the PLWDs in Rivers State with computers and IT working tools, he advised beneficiaries to make judicious use of the tools to better their lots and reduce their reliance on other people.

The post Digital Inclusion: NITDA Reaffirms Commitment to Equal Opportunities for PLWD appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECH DIGEST – The emergence of digital technology has continued to improve accessibility for people by making their daily lives more comfortable and easier. As a critical enabler and disrupter, digital technology is transforming lives and empowering people across the world at a blistering pace.

Digital technology and innovation is accelerating change and inclusion by providing a platform for accessing and sharing information, and connecting people to a diverse range of products and services across local and international boundaries.

With the quick succession of new digital devices and applications, it is widely accepted that technology has the incredible potential for improving lives by helping citizens and organisations to participate in social and economic activities that are beneficial to them in diverse ways.

However, while technology is changing the world in astonishing ways, there are certain segments of the population that are facing barriers to reaping the full benefits of this ubiquitous development.

Persons living with disabilities (PLWDs), women and girls and rural dwellers, low income earners, and unemployed persons, are among segments of the population that experience exclusion from the digital transformation space.

An estimated one billion people experience some form of disability, with the majority of the world’s 650 million disabled people living in developing countries, and of these 80 per cent live in rural areas.

Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari on January 23, 2019, gave assent to the Discrimination Against Persons With Disability (Prohibition) Act. The Act prohibits all forms of discrimination against persons with disability. Violation of the law by an individual will attract a fine of N100,000 or a term of six months imprisonment and a fine of one million naira on corporate bodies.

According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, an estimated 7 per cent of household members above the age of five, as well as 9 per cent of those 60 years or older, experience some level of difficulty in at least one functional domain — seeing, hearing, communication, cognition, walking, or self-care.

Regardless of their disability, persons living with any form of disability are human too, and they have desires, talents, and skills. These people don’t want to be dependent on others to do things for them. They want to be self-sufficient and to be able to live with a sense of mastery and dignity.

Persons with disability need opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills and vocation that will enable them not only actively participate in the family and community, but to also contribute to the society in a productive way.

As such, developing creative capacity for the persons with disability by removing barriers in order to facilitate self-efficiency and mastery is necessary support to help them live full and productive lives.

Technology can help improve independent living for persons living with a disability, serve to open doors and provide access to opportunities and thereby make life easier and more normal for these affected people.

Again, it can allow them to participate and enjoy the benefits of the digital society, with the same access to information as everyone else has. New technologies enable people with disabilities to act more independently from others and to also have the choice to connect with people around the world, whenever and however they wish.

But the lack of access to formal/non-formal education and digital literacy opportunities undermine the self-confidence, active participation and full integration of persons with disabilities in the society.

In acknowledgement of this reality, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) organised a training programme for 50 Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) on IT Entrepreneurship held at the Enugu State Technology Hub and Youth Innovation Centre.

Speaking at the programme, Director-General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa, who disclosed that the agency had trained over 750 persons under the initiative, restated its readiness to develop the creative capacity of PLWDs to adopt and use digital technology to achieve social and economic empowerment for themselves, their communities and the country at large.

Kashifu said nurturing entrepreneurship skills and creating the desired social and economic outcomes through the use of ICT among people with special needs is top on NITDA’s agenda, noting that the aim of empowering persons with special needs is for them to acquire ICT skills, digital literacy and its applications to enjoy sustainable relationships with other people, locally and globally.

He explained that the objective of the training is to build the capacities of PLWDs, make them employable and self-reliant in order to have effective economic independence in pursing their livelihoods. It will boost the digital literacy and proficiency of all the participants to efficiently participate in the fast-growing digital economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Similarly, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, whose vision birthed the initiative, expressed optimism that with access to adequate knowledge, skills and resources, PLWDs can become job employers (digital entrepreneurs), rather than job seekers.

To effectively build the capacity of PLWDs, the government has to provide adequate funding for the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and NITDA to regularly organise such training programmes for the affected persons in all states of the federation.
NITDA should liaise with states governments, private sector operators and ICT-focused civil society groups to address digital exclusion, since true innovation and disruption can only be sustained on partnerships that breed the genuine exchange of new ideas and actions from a diversity of stakeholders.
Having persons with and without disabilities collaborate on projects that improve the lives of the PLWDs and solves critical challenges in our environments, will promote inclusion and help everybody appreciate the talents and gifts that all persons/individuals bring with them.

By including people with special needs in the decision-making process, understanding and implementing their honest ideas will go a long way in helping them sustain their independence with skills, critical awareness and opportunities to positively impact their own lives, and the wellbeing of others, thereby creating a happier, inclusive, more connected and productive society.

Inyene Ibanga is Managing Editor Techdigest.ng and writes from Wuye District, Abuja.

The post Bridging the Digital Divide For Persons With Disability In Nigeria appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECH DIGEST – The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has said that with adequate knowledge, skills and resources, Persons Living with Special Needs can be job employers, rather than job seekers.

The Minister stated this at the closing ceremony of the 5-day training programme for People Living With Disabilities (PLWD’S) organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA at Enugu State.

Pantami, while giving his closing remarks, said that the population of persons living with special needs in the world is over 785 million, according to the World Health Organization, which is almost four times the population of Nigeria as a country.
With their situation, be averred that a responsible society will give them priority and preference.

He said that the training was in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria which was launched on the 28th November 2019, by President Mohammad Buhari.

He advised the trainees to consider the training as an opportunity because there are millions of people living with special needs in Nigeria who do not have the opportunity of being trained directly like them.

The Minister admonished the participants to take good advantage of the facilities and support given to them through this training.

He advised them to keep the tools safe and keep.them in good use so as to continue working with them.

“Consider the training to be a foundation of your becoming a digital entrepreneur”,
the Minister added.

He cited examples of previous beneficiaries of the same training programme from Abuja, Oyo and Gombe states who have now established their own businesses through the knowledge acquired.

Pantami futher urged the participants to extend the knowledge and skills acquired at the training programme to train their family members which will make them job providers, rather than job seekers.

“I urge you to extend the knowledge and skills you have acquired here to your family, friends and associates thereby bridging the digital divide we have in Nigeria” he said.

The Minister commended NITDA Management for organizing the programme and for the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy, while urging them to extend the training to other states in the country.

He particularly thanked the Enugu State Government for supporting to host the programme and hoped for continued cooperation and partnership for the benefit of its residents.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said the exclusion and marginalization of Persons Living with Special Needs is a human right violation as well as economic issue for the country”.

Abdullahi noted that on the 25th of January 2019, President Mohammadu Buhari, signed into law, the discrimination of persons with disability provision act and that the Honorable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy has been implementing the National Digital Economy Policy for Digital Nigeria.

“Digital technology can break traditional barriers to communication, interaction and access to information”, the DG stated.

He told the participants that technology will make all their challenges possible and therefore urged them to use the knowledge they have acquired from the training to make all that was impossible for them, possible.

The Executive Governor of Enugu State who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on ICT, Mr Emeka Ani, thanked the Minister and NITDA for the gesture.

“Enugu state will continue to give all the support, cooperation and collaboration to NITDA and to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy” he assured.

The post With Digital Skills, PLWD Should be Job Employers, Rather than Job Seekers – Pantami appeared first on Tech Digest News.