Date: 2021-09-18

No fewer than three PhD and 30 Masters degree holders applied for the 2nd edition of Rep. Tunji Olawuyi's digital empowerment programme, tagged Ajuloopin Digital Empowerment Programme (ADEP) 2021, says an official.

More than 4,604 people applied for the equipment.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Titilope Akogun, the Head of the Technical team for the programme.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme, which is the brainchild of the lawmaker representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency of Kwara, began in 2020.

The statement said that no fewer than 200 people were empowered by the federal lawmaker in Digital Training, Mini Importation as well as distribution of laptops and tablets to beneficiaries at inception in 2020.

A breakdown of the application revealed that there were 902 Bachelor of Science (BSc), 988 Higher National Diploma (HND), 853 National Certificate of Education (NCE) holders.

Others are 441 Ordinary National Diploma (OND), 873 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) holders, while 514 were unspecified.

Of the 4,604 applicants, 556 are currently employed, 1,218 are self-employed, while 2,830 are unemployed.

According to the statement, 750 of the applicants are from Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara, 1 512 are from Irepodun Local Government Area, 634 of them are in Isin, and 698 from Oke-Ero.

It stated that 324 applied from Offa Local Government Area, 459 are from Ifelodun, while the remaining 327 applicants are from Oyun Local Government Area of the state.

The statement added that each applicant would be called for a phone interview session after which 500 successful applicants would be shortlisted.

It said the 500 applicants to be shortlisted would be invited for a physical interview where the number would be pruned to 350 as the final successful candidates for the programme.