Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commissioned the Edo Tech Park, an elite software engineering and leadership-training institute, noting that the park will produce about 15,000 world-class software engineers within the next five years.

Obaseki, who spoke during the commissioning of the park in Okhoromi community, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, said his government aimed to transform Edo into technology outsourcing centre in Africa.

The governor also commended the World Bank for supporting government’s efforts at empowering youths and preparing them for the future.

He said: “If not for the support of the World Bank, I am not sure we would have been able to do as much as we did for our people, which made them vote us for a second term.

“Today, we are starting another journey and are fortunate to have the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, and the Managing Director of the Bank, to see what we, as a people, are trying to do to reposition ourselves for the future.

“To show them that this is what we have started and how we have organised ourselves to begin to confront the challenges of the future. Having seen the way we have organised and positioned ourselves, we hope, as you did a decade ago, you will now renew your partnership with us.”

On his part, the Managing Director, Development Policy and Partnership, World Bank, Dr. Mari Elka Pangestu, expressed satisfaction with the government’s programmes and reforms aimed at providing job opportunities for Edo youths.