Some protesters in the ongoing Endbadgovernance protest in Kano have stormed a new Digital Park built by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), carting away equipment including computers and furniture.
While videos circulation on social media earlier on Thursday showed some protesters carrying computers and chairs from the yet to be commissioned Park, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, said the protesters also set the facility ablaze after looting it.
Reacting to the development via a post on X, Tijani said the Digital Park was billed to be commissioned next week. According to him, the facility was built to support the ongoing 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme of the government.
Setback for 3MTT
Describing the incidence as a setback for the ongoing programme aimed at empowering 3 million Nigerians with technical skills, Tijani said:
“Sad to learn that our Digital Innovation Park in Kano slated for launch next week to support our technical talent accelerator (3MTT) has been set ablaze and looted by protesters.
“Alongside #3MTT, this building is set to host our buildathon holiday maker programme for secondary school kids starting next week.
“A slight setback for our journey to deepening our workforce for technology while creating job opportunities for the youth. Millions of Naira down the drain.”
Backstory
Many Nigerians on Thursday took to the streets in what marked the beginning of the ‘Endbadgovernance’ protest slated to be held from August 1 to August 10 across the country.
The protesters are demanding that the government address the current high cost of goods and reverse some of its policies that have inflicted hardships on Nigerians.
Reports indicated that the protest is gaining momentum in places like Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, and several other Nothern States. There have also been reports of confrontations between security agencies and protesters in some parts of the country.
As a result of the ongoing protest, businesses, markets, roads, and parks had been shut down in several parts of the country due to the protest.
What you should know
According to the government, the 3MTT program is a critical part of the Renewed Hope agenda and is aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone to power its digital economy and position Nigeria as a net talent exporter.
The program started with 30,000 Nigerians, representing 1% of the 3 million target, while the 270,000 selected for the second cohort brings the number to 10%.
To achieve the program’s target, Tijani said the different phases will be executed based on the framework co-created with key stakeholders across government agencies, training providers, educational institutions, development agencies, and the private sector.
