Ms Chinwe Okoli, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation Engages ASATU Presidents-General on SID Programs
The Special Adviser (SPAD) to the Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, Ms.Chinwe Okoli, had an advocacy engagement earlier today with the Presidents-General of the 179 Towns in Anambra State under the auspices of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU). She introduced Mr. Governor’s big agenda for Ndi Anambra through the Solution Innovation District (SID).
The engagement was part of the advocacy strategy of her office to sensitize Ndi Anambra on the Innovation and Business Incubation Program of Mr. Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo C.F.R, which is designed to unlock the entrepreneurial, innovative, and creative talents of Ndi Anambra and position Anambra as a leading state in digital innovation in Nigeria.
The Hon SPAD addressed the ASATU PGs on the rationale for the set-up of SID, its aim, goals, and programs. She highlighted the immense benefits of the SID range of programs and the new world of opportunities it presents to Ndi Anambra - emphasizing the great plan of Mr. Governor to get Anambra on the global digital map while grooming and exporting competent skills and talents from Anambra.
She explained that SID programs and services are aimed at training and raising competent Anambra digital tribe and talents, incubating startup ideas, training, mentoring, supporting entrepreneurs, preparing Umu-Boi for success in business, raising a network of Anambra Angel investors, and attracting the world to Anambra.
She further explained that in line with Mr. Governor's goal to democratize innovation and opportunities in Anambra State, SID mini hubs will be set up in various locations across the State to ease accessibility and increase impact. She stated that this would be done in partnership with well-meaning Sons and Daughters of Anambra from various communities and other partners. She extended a hand of partnership to prospective partners and investors to this noble project stating that the goal is to also give equal access to Ndi Anambra even in the remote areas.
She stated that one of the SID programs, Anambra Digital Tribe, has already started with LevelUp Anambra, launched by Mr. Governor in March and targets to train 20,000 youths on digital skills in partnership with Microsoft and Wootlab Foundation. The LevelUp Anambra Cohort 1 training has concluded, and the Cohort 2 call for applications, which opened on May 1, 2023, is still ongoing.
She concluded by stating that SID is geared towards wealth creation and economic development of the State and encouraged all to take advantage of this unique opportunity. She called on the Community Leaders to lead the domestication of SID in their various communities by identifying the best location for SID Mini Hubs in their towns, sensitizing their community members on the immense benefits of SID and how they can get involved to help actualize the great plans of Mr. Governor for the people through SID.
Finally, the National President of ASATU, Chief Barr Titus Akpudo(Ichaka Eji Egbu Agu) applauded Mr. Governor for this ground-breaking initiative, SID. He pledged his unalloyed support and stated that the Presidents-Generals always support the Governor's agenda as they are always for the greater good of the State. He commended the idea of democratizing innovation in the State through the SID mini-hubs at the community level. He further called on the leaders to embrace this project and give it full support to help achieve the vision of making Anambra the creative capital of Nigeria which will benefit all individually and collectively. The ASATU PGs leaders welcomed this noble project and pledged their full support to the Special Adviser as they expressed their gratitude to Mr. Governor for this timely and important project.
