By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue state government is creating over 100,000 digital jobs for the youths of the state to drive down the state’s unemployment rate in line with the development vision of the Governor Hyacinth Alia-led administration.

The Managing Director of the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company, BDIC, Plc, Gbande Terwase who made this known Monday while briefing the media at the NUJ House Makurdi explained that the new jobs would be created over the next three years adding that the company had already commenced the training of the youths of the state on the application of ICT in the various fields of endeavour.

The Managing Director said: “I am pleased to publicly announce BDIC’s commitment to create over 100,000 digital jobs across Benue State within the next three years, in alignment with the economic development vision of Governor Hyacinth Alia.”

He explained that the jobs would be created through “digital outsourcing centers and gig work platforms for remote employment in areas like data labeling, digital customer service, and AI training.”

He said it would also be realised “through Start-up support and incubation hubs for tech-driven entrepreneurs and creatives local manufacturing of digital devices (computers, tablets, kiosks) to support IT hardware assembly and maintenance services. And E-Commerce and smart agriculture platforms, enabling farmers and traders to access wider markets.”

Other avenues to achieve the target includes the “training 23,000 youth (1,000 per LGA) through the ongoing 3MTT/BDIC Digital Skills Program, with pathways to employment and enterprise.”

The Managing Director noted that through these and related programs, digital infrastructure would become a direct engine of employment, empowerment, and wealth creation in the state.

He said the company had already launched the largest digital skills program in the history of the state with the training of “40,000 public servants across the state and Local Government Area, LGA, on the use of digital tools and e-governance platforms.

“As of today, over 4,800 civil servants have been trained in areas such as ICT fundamentals, digital workflow systems, and enterprise platforms, with weekly training numbers steadily increasing.”

He listed some of the achievement of the company in the last one year to include the deployment of over 10 fully operational digital platforms, including the Benue Geographic Information System (BENGIS), and the Benue Executive Document Management System (EDMS) powering the newly launched paperless Executive Council system.

Others includes the Benue State Virtual Marketplace, Civil Service Management System, Integrated Revenue System, and e-Citizen Identity Registration System. As we as the Web and enterprise platforms for MDAs including the Bureau for Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Justice, Public Service Institute, and Pension Administration.

According to him, “digital revolution is no longer a distant future, it is our present reality. BDIC is here to ensure that Benue is not only part of this future but that we are among the leaders shaping it.”

He lauded Governor Hyacinth for providing the enabling environment and visionary leadership for the digital transformation of the state with the use of digital tools.