By Emeka Aginam
THE Computer Professional and Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) has equipped  over 106 information and communications technology professionals and others on skills and knowledge needed to write proposals for international grants and research.

The  workshop acquainted participants with the skills and knowledge required to identify, locate and access research grants that will enable them activate their various research proposals and other creative concepts which foreign agencies, governments and other corporate bodies are freely willing to fund.

IT Practitioners, academics, executives, heads of departments/agencies of government, grant writers, special projects directors, administrators, researchers and marketing professionals were among the target audience. The workshop was  designed for all persons interested in learning and mastering the art of successful grant seeking and proposal writing.

The team was  led by Dr. Lynn Miner, Founder of Miner and Associates, Wisconsin USA who delivered a lecture via video conferencing.
Speaking during the event,  Chris Uwaje, council member, CPN, informed  that the workshop was organized to provide information technology professionals and alike the nifty gritty in writing international and local grant-seeking proposals.

He noted that CPN has realized that most IT professionals are unable to get grants basically because they don’t know how to write grant-seeking proposals, which informed the workshop that saw a renowned grant proposal writer, Dr. Lim Miner, Principal resource person, Miner & Associates, delivering the techniques of writing grant-seeking proposal through e-conference.

Kola Omotunde-Young, managing director, Kes Group, said that the workshop is part of the programmes lined-up to jumpstart technological application in different sphere of the country’s economy. He added that the success of the workshop lies on the ability of participants to attract international or local grant for projects geared towards upliftment of the lives of Nigerians.

Sikiru Shehu, CPN’s Registrar, said that objective of the workshop is to enhance capacity in the different areas listed for concentration. He noted that there are a lot of grant giving organizations which Nigerians are yet to tap into them. He said that number of participants at the workshop which is the first in lined-up series shows the importance of the workshop.

He added that the Council plans to reward and celebrate the group that will first attract grant from the workshop. He also reiterated the commitment of CPN to commence the process of reviewing information technology curriculum in the educational system slated for December 16, 2010.