The Chief Executive Officer, National Communication Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta has noted the prevalence of young girls and woman in Nigeria to “Cyber Bullying”, calling for concerted efforts and well-structured education to end the scourge.
Speaking during the occasion to mark the International Girls in Information Communication Technology (ICT) Day celebration in Abuja organized by AFRITEX Prof. Danbatta said that the global community has recognized the gender gaps in the access and use of ICT.
He stated that the European Commission survey on women active in the ICT sector revealed that getting more girls interested in a digital career and into digital jobs would benefit the digital industry, as well as boosting the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to him, “It is obvious that lack of ICT knowledge is intensely regressive in our present world. The drive in educating our girls and young women cannot be overemphasized. Most often, our girls and young women are more susceptible to what is now known as cyber bullying. Therefore concerted efforts and well-structured education in this respect will go a long way in reducing the level of vulnerability.”
In his goodwill message the acting director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Vincent Olatunji stressed that ICT now play a central role in everyone’s lives.
He stated that over 80 per cent of jobs globally now have digital components.
He however lauded AFRITEX for the initiatives, adding that girls with ICT skills will never be out of work, and will have much more flexibility in their work choices as ICT skills are highly transferable, which means “you will be able to work almost anywhere in the world you want.
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