Some youths have called
on the Federal Government to intensify efforts at creating an enabling environment to encourage them to be involved in technological innovations.
The youths made the call in separate interviews with newsmen recently in Abuja.
They said that such enabling environment would help them to express their creativity and innovation in information technology for national development.
Mr Greg Okoh, a young computer programmer said that both the youths and government had their roles to play, adding that while the government gave the enabling environment, the youths must play their own role too.
“As a nation, the government has a role to play but also the individuals too must have a passion for ICT.
Okoh also emphasised on Zuckerberg’s visit as a wakeup call to the youths in the country as well as for the government to promote ICT.
He said that a policy should be put in place that would create an enabling environment for the youths to grow their ideas and exhibit their talents in the area of ICT.
“Zuckerberg is a young man though a global figure by virtue of his innovation and creativity.
“His visit should be a wakeup call for the youths of our nation. If we try to do more, we can do more than what Zuckerberg has done.
“The government should also create an enabling environment; there should be a policy statement that will create an enabling environment for the youths to express themselves and also grow their ideas in the area of ICT, and science and technology.
“I believe Nigerian youths have more than what Zuckerberg has, all they need is just an enabling environment to explore and also a drive from within themselves.”
Okoh advised that youths should bring up ideas that would be beneficial to the society through ICT, adding that government should create a platform for them to explore.
“I challenge youths to think deeper and bring up innovative ideas so that when this enabling environment is made available, they can do well and better than what their counterparts in other countries are doing,” he said.
Mr Kingsley Amadi, a computer science student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri said that the world had gone global and there was need to be abreast of current technology.
Amadi said that the government needed to key into the global technological advancement, especially through the youths for development.
“The world now has gone digital, even newspapers are read online these days. That’s why more concentration should be on ICT development and how the internet can be made available for everybody even those in the rural areas.
“People should be given access to the internet same way they have access to other things just as it is done abroad, they have free WIFIs in the office, houses, churches and so on,” he said.
Amadi said that there was need for a wider coverage of internet and other facilities for the development of ICT to grow the economy.
“This will help boost our economy in the area of education, defence and security, especially now that we are having security challenges,” he said.
On his part, Miss Winifred Williams, a student of Afe Babalola University in Osun said that youths should be given the platform to explore, especially in the area of ICT.
“Youths are the future of the world, and in Nigeria we have more youths that need to be encouraged and supported, especially in the rea of ICT,” he said.