…Zulum, Sirika purchase 12,000 copies of publication of book to address unemployment
By Dele Ogbodo
There is no doubt that the seminal works on skills acquisition as authored by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Ibrahim Pantami, with title: Skills Rather than Just Degrees is a publication of necessity whose time has come.
This becomes imperative considering the pervasive rate of unemployment that cuts across virtually all sector and nationwide, this is book is therefore apt, observers averred,
The unveiling of the book in Abuja not too long attracted who’s who and crème de la crème from Nigeria’s public, private and corporate was indeed an occasion well attended.
Besides his contribution tackling Nigeria’s unemployability, unemployment, underemployment, and skill deficit. His is said to wholly committed to implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
Why Pantami’s boundless robust drive, in this direction, one may ask? Dr. Femi Adeluyi, the Senior Technical Assistant (STA) on Research and Development to the Minister in a statement made available to EXTRAORDINAIRE News, said this to ensure that Nigeria’s digital economy remains a leading light and support the country to become the talent capital of the continent. Globally, Nigeria is ranked in 61st position in start-up ranking.
According to Adeluyi, the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, and the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, have supported efforts to boost skills in the country by obtaining 12,000 copies of the book on Skills Rather than Just Degrees authored by his boss.
Prof. Ibrahim Pantami, who is also a Professor of Cybersecurity at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, he said with air of excitement, adding that the President of Microsoft Corporation, Mr. Brad Smith wrote the foreword to the book.
He said: “Skills Rather than Just Degrees focused on the importance of skills and its potential impact in addressing the problems of unemployability, unemployment and underemployment.
“The book is a research and productive work implementing the paradigm shift advocated by Pantami and is in alignment with the approach being adopted in leading educational and technological countries like the United States of America (US), Finland, India and many other countries.
The book according to him, was endorsed and unveiled by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed. Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) was one of the personalities that endorsed the book.
A number of Vice Chancellors also endorsed and reviewed the book, including Prof. M.A. Abdulazeez, VC of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Prof. Owunari Abraham Georgewill, VC, University of Port-Harcourt and Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas, Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, he added.
He said high profile personalities were motivated to do this after reading the book and acknowledging the high quality of the content and its capacity to inspire Nigerians to embrace skills as a catalyst for national transformation.
They also encouraged well-meaning Nigerians and institutions for follow their example. It is hoped that other stakeholders will try and circulate the book in their communities.
The Ministry under Pantami’s leadership, remains committed to implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) in order to ensure that Nigeria’s digital economy remains a leading light and support the country to become the talent capital of the continent and also the world.