Champion Transformation Of Bauchi, Saraki Advises Youths

A former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has appealed to youths to take the lead in transforming Bauchi State and Nigeria by deploying their ICT skills.

He spoke yesterday at the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Assufiy Humanitarian ICT Centre in Azare, Katagum local government area of Bauchi State.

The centre is an initiative of the 2027 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Hon. Usman Adamu Ahmed Sufi.

At the ceremony, Saraki, who described himself as a strong advocate of youth empowerment and education, commended Sufi for undertaking the project.

Represented by former acting national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Saraki said the initiative demonstrated that meaningful development could be driven by individuals even before they assumed political office.

“Usman Adamu Sufi, coming up at this time with such a project can only be found in one party, and that party is the PDP. Somebody who is not yet in power has been able to come up with this project. You can imagine what he will do when he gets into power,” Saraki said.

He urged youths in Azare and across Bauchi State to take full ownership of the facility by protecting it, using it effectively and continuously developing their skills.

Saraki charged the beneficiaries to utilise the knowledge acquired at the centre to develop solutions capable of transforming Bauchi and Nigeria.

Earlier, the founder of Assufiyya Humanitarian Foundation, Usman Adamu Ahmed Sufi, said the project was part of his commitment to promoting education, empowerment and sustainable community development.

He described the ICT and Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre as more than a physical structure, saying it represented hope, opportunity and a commitment to investing in the education and empowerment of the people.

According to him, the centre has a capacity of about 500 seats, with each workstation equipped with a brand-new laptop, Local Area Network (LAN) and other facilities required for CBT examinations.

He said the centre was designed to respond to the rapidly changing digital environment and to improve students’ exposure in Azare and neighbouring communities.

“The future belongs to societies that embrace knowledge, innovation and technology. Our objective is to ensure that the young people of Azare, Bauchi State and beyond are not spectators in the digital revolution but active participants and future leaders,” Sufi said.

Also, the national chairman of the PDP, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, said ICT knowledge was no longer a luxury but an absolute necessity in the modern economy.

Represented by the deputy national chairman (North), Yusufu Akirikwen (SAN), he said skills in software development, data analytics, cybersecurity, digital marketing and artificial intelligence could enable young Nigerians to work remotely, secure global opportunities and earn sustainable incomes.