‘Technology Key to Entrepreneurial Development’

Hamid Ayodeji

The Yaba College of Technology Alumni Association has stressed the importance of technology in economic and entrepreneurial development.

This, the association explained would, help achieve sustainable growth, whilst also creating an avenue for innovation.

The President, Yaba Collge of Technology Alumni Association, Oluwafemi Martins, said this while speaking at the Alumni Association of Engineering Students’ Reunion.

He made the remark in his welcome address, adding that synchronising
technology scheme and programmes into educational curriculum would also play a vital role towards boosting the entrepreneurial spirit in the country.

According to him, technology-driven initiatives empowers individuals to be entrepreneurs rather than employees.
Martins added: “The population of the country is growing vastly which is placing constraints on the employment climate as the rate of unemployed youths in the country seems on the rise.

“With technology, individuals can tap into their creativity, whereby using technology as enabler to generate innovations that would lead to the sustainable development of the country’s economy.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, Slot Systems Ltd, Nnamdi Ezeigbo
said, “Being a technological entrepreneur who is passionate and driven towards solving economic issues and problems, the knowledge and training I acquired from the Yaba College of Technology played a major role towards me getting and become the type of entrepreneur I am today.

“I enrolled in a six-month apprentice programme so as to boost my practical knowledge and skill I had built during my time in the college of technology.

“I started off as a computer engineer before getting to the point whereby my business ideas and solutions could be developed into a sustainable business.
“Nigeria is rich in human resources with a large population of youths, which means it has potential to produce innovators as technology serves as an enabler.”

NATCA Honours Arik with ‘Safety Conscious Airline Award’
Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) has awarded Arik Air, the safety conscious airline of the year, 2019.

Arik, beat other contestants in the category to clinch the award, held at the weekend in Abuja.
Speaking to THISDAY, shortly after picking up the award, Chief Executive Officer, Arik Air, Capt. Roy Ilegode, said the airline was proud to be recognised as safety conscious airline of the year.
Ilegode, said Arik didn’t not introduce any particular innovation to merit the award, rather, what it tries to do is to buy “safety into its culture.”

According to him, “it is part of the airline DNA, so it is something that we do and we put at the forefront of our minds at all times, so I guess maybe that is why they have seen it fit to present us with this award.”

Represented by the Director of Safety, Arik Air, Capt. Jide Bakare, he said: “It is an honour, a great honour to receive any award, you Know, when it comes particularly from professionals, from our peers, our colleagues in the industry, it means a little bit more, it’s a little bit more special, so it means a lot to us, we are very proud and honored so we humbly accept the award.

“The award is not actually the first. We have won several awards over the years. You know Arik has an exemplary safety record, we have never had any even serious incidence talk less of an accident, so we are very proud of that since inception in 2006 and as I said, it’s part of our DNA, it’s our culture, it’s the way we do things in Arik, so it is second nature to us.”