UNIJOS hosts 2017 CISCO African Academy Safari Conference

AS the University of Jos, Plateau State, hosts the 2017 Cisco African Safari Conference, the Federal Government has encouraged Nigerians to join the ongoing digital revolution and mainstream their expertise into the knowledge economy.
This is in order to fill skill gaps identified by employers of labour while also engaging the youths and other Nigerians in meaningful ventures and gainful employment.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, stated this in a keynote address during the 2017 Cisco African Academy Safari Conference for English-speaking West and Central Africa, held at the Chief Richard Akinjide Centre for International Law and Diplomacy, Naraguta Campus, University of Jos, with the theme ‘Internet of Things (IoT): Get Connected for Collaboration and Professional Development’.
Mallam Adamu, who was represented by the deputy director ICT, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Onyeka Anyawu, presented a paper entitled ‘The Impact of SMART Technology on Skill Development’.
He said SMART technologies are predictive and adaptive to changes, and are therefore needed in highly dynamic environments because they are capable of handling complex databases that are user-friendly.
According to him, it is expedient to offer wholesome SMART solutions to the education sector by formalising the collaboration of any intervening Information Technology enterprise with government activities using the proper channels, so that the benefits accruing to such interventions could be maximised.
Plateau State governor, Rt.-Hon Simon Bako Lalong, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on ICT, Mr. Daniel Dung Dalyop, said the hosting of the conference in the university validates the assertion that peace has returned to the state.
Governor Lalong said the state government would continue to partner with UNIJO and the CISCO Academy through public-private partnership towards bringing the dividends of democracy to the people and moving the state forward.
The vice chancellor, UNIJOS, Professor Seddi Sebastian Maimako, described ‘Internet of Things’ as a timely and contemporary issue globally, noting that the management of the university is making efforts to ensure that all activities in the university are internet-driven.
Professor Maimako, who was represented by the deputy vice chancellor (academics), Professor Nelson Ochekpe, said, as an ICT-driven university, the Cisco programme is an integral part of the institution’s academic curriculum.
He expressed the hope that greater responsibilities would be accorded to the university as hosts of the 2017 Cisco Conference, and that the university authorities were eager to make the UNIJOS CISCO Academy programme globally competitive.
Also speaking, the director-general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim, represented by Mr Lawrence Dirisu, said such an initiative would help to equip youths with the requisite ICT skills to be employable both locally and internationally.
He said NITDA’s statutory mandate is to develop the country’s human capacity through ICT, and that he was very optimistic that this could be achieved through the implementation of programmes run by Cisco Academy.