The First Lady of Kogi State, Hajiya Sefinat Usman Ododo has extended her warm wishes to girls and women on the occasion of this year’s “Girls in ICT Day” celebration.

In a message to mark the occasion, the Wife of the Kogi State Governor emphasized the importance of nurturing young female talents in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

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While highlighting government’s efforts to empower the girl child in science education, the First Lady expressed concern about the low participation of women in ICT in Kogi State, stressing the need for proactive steps by parents and well-meaning individuals and corporate organizations to support efforts in mainstreaming the female gender in Information and Communication Technology.

Hajiya Sefinat noted that women continue to be underrepresented in high-level ICT policy making decision and also remain fewer in high-skill technology careers.

She emphasized that the theme for the 2024 Girls in ICT Day, “Leadership,” is timely, and called for concerted efforts to expose girls to more leadership positions in ICT.

Hajiya Sefinat reiterated that the administration of Alhaji Usman Ododo is putting measures in place to position Kogi State at the forefront of ICT development.

“There is no doubt that more students, especially girls, can now pursue careers in ICT-related courses. This has been made possible by the establishment of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) in Osara under the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello.

The institution has witnessed a significant enrollment of our children from across the 21 local government areas and neighbouring states,” she noted.

She believes that access to education in ICT will create more opportunities for girls and women in STEM careers, particularly in Kogi State.