Ahead of the take-off of the Federal Government proposed University of ICT, members of its implementation committee on Tuesday paid an assessment visit to the Digital Bridge Institute Enugu, designated as one of the campuses of the university.
The team was also at the Enugu Government House where the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, praised Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for his “bipartisan approach to governance,” noting that it had brought immense development to the state and given everyone a sense of belonging.
The proposed ICT University will be a multi-campus institution of the present Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as located in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Asaba and Yola.
President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government had mandated the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu to forthwith set up a University of ICT, in recognition of the continuous frenetic growth pace of Information Communications Technology (ICT) and the huge impact on the economy which country that harvests the technical talents and specialists it can engender,
In fulfillment of Mr. President’s objective to set up University of ICT, so as to enhance learning environment and create millions of jobs through skilled ICT workforce, the Ministry of Communications set up an implementation committee, chaired by erudite Professor Julius Okojie, former Secretary of National University Commission (NUC) and Dr Amina Sambo Magaji as Secretary.
On Tuesday, some members of the Implementation Committee for the Proposed ICT University conducted a physical assessment of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in Enugu, one of the six ICT learning centers built by NCC in the country.
Members of the Committee in the assessment team were Dr. Henry Nkemadu, Matthew A. Olaniyan and Mr Osita Okechuwu, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON).
Speaking with journalists at the site, both Nkemadi and Okechukwu said the committee was expected to make a physical assessment of the facilities on site, including buildings, road infrastructure, and equipment.
According to the VON DG, the Committee will also determine the additional requirements for the University to meet with international best practices.
At the Enugu Government House, the director general said the idea for the university was driven by President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision to use ICT as an employment-creating tool, adding that it would further boost the state’s economy and provide job opportunities for youths in the state and beyond.
“We’re also happy because whatever comes to Enugu State you always show your support and have demonstrated a bipartisan approach to governance. That shows that you take everyone in Enugu as yours and do not discriminate,” he said.
On his part, the leader of the delegation, Dr. Nkemadu, said that they were in Enugu at the behest of the president to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the facilities at the Digital Bridge Institute, Enugu, which he said would be converted to a campus of the ICT University of Nigeria being established by the federal government.
He noted further that it was the intention of the federal government to convert the other five campuses of the Digital Bridge Institutes into ICT University. “We are impressed with what we saw on ground. It’s an indication that the ICT University is ready to take off in Enugu,” he said, pointing out that companies such as Dangote and Microsoft had indicated interest in the project.
In his remark, Governor Ugwuanyi pledged the support and cooperation of the state government and commended the federal government for its choice of Enugu as one of the six campuses of the university, explaining that it would both complement his administration’s ICT policy and make Enugu the hub of ICT studies and application in the South-East region.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that ICT has become an indispensable and the most effective platform for rapid sustainable development in the 21st Century. This will certainly add to the rising profile of Enugu State as the academic, aviation and business hub of the region.
“We therefore commend the federal government for the wisdom and vision to establish a university that would build capacity and provide the intellectual foundation required to harness the rich potentials in this important area of endeavour,” he said.
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