Day 5. Ministry of Science and Technology and man power development, Headed by Hon. Commissioner Mrs. Didi Walson Jack.

Day 5. Ministry of Science and Technology and man power development, Headed by Hon. Commissioner Mrs. Didi Walson Jack.
By Matilda Angaye

There was a media briefing by the honorable Commissioner for science and man power development Mrs Didi Walson Jack. The commissioner informed  the journalists that are ministry is just 5 months old and as such was not included in the 2012 budget of Bayelsa State, however her ministry has been able to achieve the following ongoing programmes and projects.

1. Development of ICT framework..
The framework identifies the importance of ICT to socio economic development and has made provisions for A science and Technology center of excellence and innovation, these ICT centers will be located in or within proximity of tertiary institutions in the state. There will also be Science and Technology education in primary and secondary schools and ICT in local government area headquarters and communities.
She said this framework would enable them spearhead new learning technologies, ICT development and research to ensure that Bayelsa State can participate in global information society.

A. Collaboration
On the collaborative platform the commissioner said her ministry had to identify projects and programmes that need collaborative support because of their limited resources.. In that respect they have successfully collaborated with Federal ministry of science and Technology,the united nations office of project services UNOPS, Nigerian Maritime administration and safety NIMASA, High commission of India, Malaysia and Singapore, also the federal civil service commission, the Nigerian content development and monitoring board and the federal character commission.

B. Ward cluster project services
The commissioner said her ministry in collaboration with the Federal ministry of science and technology and commenced construction Of a vocational technology incubation center in oloibiri... Other sites earmarked for such construction are in odi, and otuoke towns. She said when completed Bayelsans would be able to fabricate and carry out maintenance of low technological machinery.

C. Technology incubation center
A collaboration with the technology incubation center an agency under the federal ministry of science and technology incubation. For this purpose The state government has allocated the release an appropriate and conducive space for workshop and laboratories at the Bayelsa State college of arts and science.

D. Human capacity Development.

In other to develop indigenous manpower and foster wealth creation for the Bayelsa people, the hon commissioner said her ministry has embarked training of 1000 Bayelsans under the national industrial programme NISDP on information communication technology ICT,  fisheries and garment making.. The programme runs from December 2012 - March 2013

Training of 15 persons at the federal school of surveying in Oyo State.

Coordination and facilitation of screening and selection of youths from Bayelsa State to undergo a 5year degree programme in Nautical science, Naval architecture and marine engineering in various countries of the world under NIMASA.

She said in other to address the marginalizaction and absence of Bayelsans in the federal Civil  Service her ministry has ensured a 279 short listed persons for aptitude test and recruitment into the federal civil Services... She said her ministry organized a coaching preparatory  workshop for shortlisted candidates, provided transportation to the screening center...

In conclusion, she stated that her ministry is in charge of the man power database for Bayelsans who are seeking job and skill acquisition placements. The ministry is also currently overseeing the E Governance unit where the oracle financial and payroll software is being installed to monitor and administer our wage bills and salaries, the oracle financial system will eliminate the ghost workers and automatically reflect increments of salaries when workers are promoted.. The oracle financial system is 64% completed