Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has lifted the ban on civil service recruitment to immediately employ 19 outstanding graduates of the state’s TechRise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programme.
Otti announced the decision on Friday in Umuahia during the graduation ceremony of the third cohort of the programme, where 850 youths completed a three-month intensive ICT training. He said the move was aimed at retaining the best talents produced by the programme and using their skills to improve public service delivery in the state.
Speaking at the ceremony, the governor directed the Head of Service to immediately recruit the 19 outstanding graduates.
“I’m hereby lifting the ban on civil service employment and directing the Head of Service to immediately and automatically recruit the 19 of you,” Otti said.
He explained that the ban would continue after the recruitment, adding that retaining top talents from each TechRise cohort was part of his administration’s plan to strengthen government services.
“A central part of our value multiplication outlook is to retain the best hands from each cohort of the programme and have them contribute directly in improving social service delivery through the institutions of government,” he said.
Otti also directed the Head of Service to work with the Chief Information Officer and other relevant officials to identify ICT skill gaps across ministries, departments and agencies that could be filled by qualified TechRise graduates.
The governor further directed the establishment of a special salary cadre for ICT professionals in the state civil service, subject to applicable conditions.
He also announced that the 850 laptops used by the graduates during the training had been transferred to them as personal property to support their continued learning and professional development.
In addition, Otti announced a cash gift of N100,000 for each of the 850 graduates and urged them to use their skills to build businesses, develop innovations and create jobs.
“The most encouraging development from today’s graduation ceremony is the introduction of hundreds of new job-ready professionals into our economy,” the governor said.
Otti disclosed that 2,210 people had so far completed the TechRise ICT skills development programme since it began, describing the latest graduation as another milestone in the state government’s efforts to prepare young people for the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He challenged the graduates to turn their skills into viable businesses and innovations, while warning them against using their knowledge for criminal activities.
The governor also commended graduates who developed a functional drone and directed the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to work with the team to explore ways of moving the innovation from the concept stage to commercial viability.
Otti further announced plans to establish international-standard ICT examination and certification centres in Abia. He said the centres would allow residents to obtain professional certifications needed for career advancement without travelling outside the state.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu, said the government had equipped 2,210 youths through the three cohorts of the fully funded three-month TechRise programme.
Nwachukwu described the beneficiaries as “architects of the state’s digital future.”
The Coordinator of TechRise and Chief Executive Officer of LearnFactory, Chibueze Ukaegbu, said the programme had also trained 2,500 civil servants in computer skills, with plans to increase the number to 5,000.
Ukaegbu added that the organisation planned to introduce coding programmes for primary and secondary school students across the state.
He said courses offered under the TechRise programme included Creative Arts, Cyber Security, Full Stack Development, AI Animation, Product Management, Computer Design and Manufacturing, and Enterprise Fathom.
One of the graduates, Victor Onuoha, thanked the Abia State Government for empowering young people through the programme.
Onuoha appealed to the government to extend the programme to young people who were not accommodated in the first, second and third cohorts.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of certificates to the overall best participants representing the seven courses offered under the TechRise programme.
