Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika have obtained 12,000 copies of a new book written by Communications and Digital Economy Minister Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
According to the duo, the copies were bought to boost skills acquisition in the country.
The book, Skills Rather than Just Degrees, was launched in Abuja on November 24, last year.
In the book, Pantami, a professor of Cybersecurity at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, offered fresh ideas on how to solve unemployment problems.
A statement by the Senior Technical Assistant (R&D) to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, said: “The President of Microsoft Corporation wrote the Foreword to the book.
“In a bid to boost skilling in Nigeria, Prof Babagana Zulum obtained 10,000 copies of the book for distribution in schools and other institutions in Borno State.
”Senator Hadi Sirika also obtained 2,000 copies for distribution in institutions across the country.
“Both high profile personalities were motivated to do this after reading the book and acknowledging the high quality of the content and its capacity to inspire Nigerians to embrace skills as a catalyst for national transformation.
“They also encouraged well-meaning Nigerians and institutions for follow their example. It is hoped that other stakeholders will try and circulate the book in their communities.”
The statement gave insights into the book including its timeliness.
The statement added: “The book – Skills, Rather Than Just Degrees” focuses on the importance of skills and its potential impact in addressing the problems of employability, unemployment and underemployment.
“The book is a research and productive work implementing the paradigm shift advocated by Prof Pantami and it is in alignment with the approach being adopted in leading educational and technological countries like the United States of America, Finland and India, amongst other countries.
“The book was endorsed and unveiled by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed. The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, was one of the personalities that endorsed the book.”
“A number of vice chancellors also endorsed and reviewed the book, including Prof M.A. Abdulazeez, Vice Chancellor of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Prof Owunari Abraham Georgewill, Vice Chancellor of the University of Port-Harcourt and Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas, Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano.
“The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy remains committed to implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) in order to ensure that Nigeria’s digital economy remains a leading light and support the country to become the talent capital of the continent and also the world.”