| CITAD |
| Centre for Information Technology and Development |
ICTS IN SOCIAL ACTIVISM
By
Y. Z. Ya’u
08056180208
This week the MarArthur Foundation in conjunction with the Harvard University (yes, that same Harvard that our Governors wanted to go for capacity building) and the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) held a workshop on Enhancing Civil Society Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Nigeria… Read the rest of this entry »
Mallam Yakasai addessing students of GGASS Birniwa
Once again the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has conducted a one-day Career Talk at Government Girls Arabic Senior Secondary School, Birniwa, Birniwa Local Government of Jigawa State. Read the rest of this entry »
By Umar Farouq Uthman
On Monday 22nd of June, 2009, CITAD’s Career Talks team, comprising of Mr. Ahmad Abdullahi, Mr Ado Shehu and Mr Umar Farouq Uthman went to the Government Girls Arabic College (GGAC), Goron Dutse to stage the talk to the studentns of the school. 
Read the rest of this entry »
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The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Tuesday, April 2, 2009 flagged off its Information Technology Training for youth in Kano under the Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential (UP) scheme. At a ceremony held at the auditorium of the School of Technology, Kano State Polytechnic, CITAD disclosed that with support from Microsoft Corporation it intends to train 400 youth across the North West zone of the country this year. The ceremony was chaired by the Director-General of the Kano State Directorate of Social Reorientation, Dr. Bala Mohammed who was represented by Alhaji Sani Mohammed Usman, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Adaidaita Sahu while the Guest Speaker was Dr. Bashir S. Galadanci, the State Commissioner for Science and Technology.
In his welcome remarks, the Director of CITAD explained that the participants for the programme were drawn from different local governments of the state. He said that aim of the programme was to imparts IT skills on the participants that would make them either employable or to be self-employed. He disclosed tat last year under the Employability Programme jointly supported by Microsoft Corporation and the USA Government 200 youth were trained and that many of them were now working as interns and volunteers with different organizations in the state.
In her remarks, the Corporation Citizenship Programme of Microsoft, Mrs., Nana Adjoor Mintah said that the Unlimited Potentials is the company’s flagship corporate social responsibility engagement aimed at driving technical into the communities. She said this was the third year of the UP in Nigeria and provides training in all the six zones of the country. She later presented set of the Local Language interface software packages to the Hon. Commissioner of Science and Technology.
In his lecture, Dr. Galadanci expressed appreciation with both CITAD and Microsoft for the initiative which he said has significance to the Kano State’s ICT Park project. He explained the essence of the project which he wais aimed at using ICTs as an economic sector to provide jobs and create wealth in the state. He revealed that already the project has reached an advanced stage and that the park would soon be commissioned. May companies, with employment spaces running to hundreds have already shown their commitment to move into the park was soon as it as complete he added. He explained that with this development there would great demand for IT skill people and this was he was urging the beneficiaries to make good use of this opportunity as they would be needed in the ICT Park.
In his own goodwill massage the President of the Kano State Chapter of the Association of Local Government Chairmen and Chairman of Tarauni Local Government said that he was happy that the participants were drawn from different local governments and that they were ready to support the initiative. He revealed that all the local governments have been directed to set up computer centres in their local governments and hoped that many of the participants would be available to work at these centres.
Other guests at the occasion were the Director General of Directorate for Youth Development, the Chairman of Bagwai Local Government and the Chairman of the Kano State Council of Youths as well as representatives of development partners in the state.