…By Okechukwu Obeta.

The Anambra State has concluded plans to train 20,000 youths in Innovation and Business Incubation.

The State government according to Mr. Christian Abrurime, chief press secretary to the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo is partnering Microsoft and Wootlab Foundation to train 20,000 Anambra youths on the training programme.

He stated that the programme is driven by the ‘Solution Innovation District’-SID, and, that its launch will also herald the takeoff of the Anambra Digital Tribe programme focused on grooming a competent digital tribe in the state.

“This ties into Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s manifesto”, Aburime emphasised.

Soludo’s media aide further stated that the broad pillars under which the agenda will be driven are: education, health, youths and women empowerment among others.

Aburime said “We plan to position Anambra as a centre of excellence for human capital development and proactively leapfrog our students/youths as Africa’s digital tribe…” as contained in Governor Soludo’s People’s Manifesto”.

He emphasized that part of the deliberate plan by the governor to ensure the realisation of the vision was the recent appointment of a Special Adviser on Innovation and Business Incubation by the governor, Ms Chinwe Okoli to drive the Solution Innovation District Programme.

Okoli, according to Aburime possesses a Bachelors Degree in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of London, United Kingdom as well as a Diploma in Management of Higher Education Institutes from Galilee International Management Institute, Galilee, Israel.

She has received extensive local and international training and is experienced in public policy design and assessment; managing high-level business relationships; liaising between governments and the private sector, academia and networks; design set-up and management of physical/digital innovation hubs; science parks; co-working spaces; innovation districts; angel investment networks/fund and thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.

“The SID programme is designed to empower over 10,000 youths annually on digital skills as the Anambra Digital Tribe with skills competitive at home and exportable abroad; groom technology-enabled startups to provide solutions to local and global problems and raise innovative entrepreneurs and smart artisans through business incubation to enable them to innovate, grow and scale their businesses to earn more revenue, contribute to the economy and create more jobs”, Aburime started.