UNIJOS VC ADVOCATES CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AS PANACEA FOR NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC WOES

UNIVERSITY OF JOS, JOS NIGERIA

(OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR)

INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS & PROTOCOL DIVISION

PRESS RELEASE

UNIJOS VC ADVOCATES CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AS PANACEA FOR NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC WOES

Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya says only cutting-edge research that lead to robust strategic policy formulations can address the issues affecting the Nigerian economy. The Vice-Chancellor stated this during a courtesy visit by Course Participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru led by the Director-General, Professor Ayo Omotayo at the Senate/Administrative Building, Naraguta Campus, University of Jos.

Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, the Vice-Chancellor acknowledged NIPSS as an important apparatus of Government that can determine the factors causing the nation’s economy to deteriorate. The Vice-Chancellor challenged the Institute to develop a framework for building a Digital Economy where the skills of many young Nigerians can be well utilized. According to the Vice-Chancellor, the whole nation is looking up to NIPSS to recommend policies that Government can adopt towards facilitating sustainable growth for the Nigerian economy.

Professor Ishaya assured of the University’s readiness to collaborate with NIPSS as well as the Plateau State Government to transform the State into an International Center for Scholarly Research where solutions towards addressing humanity’s challenges are proffered.

Speaking earlier, NIPSS Director General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, represented by the Institute’s Director for Studies, Professor Oluwafumi Para-Mallam, explained that they were in the University on a training visit with Participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 to enable them have practical experience on how the University is addressing issues relating to their Course theme titled “Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment, Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities”.

The NIPSS DG said, the Course 46 theme aims to address the volatility of the Nigerian economy, and disclosed that the Participants are drawn from the Civil Service, Private Sector, Military, Police, Paramilitary, Voluntary Agencies and State Governments.

Professor Omotayo appreciated the University Management for always availing the Institute of the University’s facilities during such exercises and expressed willingness to pursue a more holistic partnership with UNIJOS in areas of mutual interest to both institutions.

The visit featured presentations by the University’s Director, Center for Entrepreneurship Studies, Professor Emmanuel Oki and that of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Directorate, Mr Daniel Yakmut. Professor Oki explained that NIPSS can collaborate with the University to train Participants on the use of Internet based Robotic equipment, Robotic Studies, Robotics and Drone Flying, Digital Skill Acquisition and other short term courses. On his part, Mr Yakmut, outlined issues such as Infrastructure deficiency, funding constraints, Education System Reforms, Policy Reforms and widening Gender Gap as some of the challenges impeding full operationalization of the Nigerian Digital Economy. However, Yakmut identified Digital Skills Development, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, Information Hub and Technology Clusters as well as Digital Transformation as some of the opportunities that exist in the Digital Economy which can be tapped by acquiring the requisite knowledge from the various Digital Learning Centers and Academies.

Since the establishment of NIPSS in 1979 with the mandate of facilitating Research and formulating Policy, the Institute has continued to have impactful collaborations with the University of Jos in areas that contribute to nation building.

Signed

Abdullahi Abdullahi

Senior Deputy Registrar, Information and Publications