Staff of the Directorate of Information and Communication Technology (DITC) have undergone a week-long training on cyber-security, as the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) continues to solidify its technology-driven Open and Distance Learning (ODL) standing in the country.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Femi Peters, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Monioluwa Olaniyi at the opening ceremony of the training held at the Abuja Model Study Centre, underlined the university’s resolve in developing the capacity of the ICT professionals.
“We know that cyber-security is key no matter how much good we are if we are not security conscious, we can lose whatever data we have,” the DVC said.
She said the VC has set out so much on regularisation and structuring of the IT community of the university. “We all are witness to that and we identify the need for proper kitting of professionals and that has lead to several activities that we have embarked upon.
“The IT operation is largely driven by the I.C.T committee that makes recommendations to the VC and it is a delight to note that the IT community have identified several trainings because the DICT has that responsibility.
“The DICT is expected to draw plans to improve the capacity that we have and it is one of the reasons I want to appreciate the Director Dr. Onwodi and congratulate the DICT for planning with HASOB to bring up this training.”
Director DICT, Dr. Greg Onwodi
On her part, the Director, Staff Training and Development, Mrs. Margret Boro, emphasised the importance of staff training and retraining as the vision of the VC, saying that “he has never shy way away from it. Prof. Peters has always made request for staff training.
“This particular training is important because we all know the position of the organisation when it comes to cyber-crimes. We have to secure the end point of the DICT programmes and detect cyber-crimes early so that fast solutions will be granted immediately.”
DICT director, who is the host, Dr. Greg Onwodi, said “the essence of the training was to protect NOUN as a cooperate entity from intruders packing into our cyber- space.”
As such, he urged participants to pay more attention irrespective of their respective certifications as ICT personnels, even as he assured them to pick up one or two new things from the training.
Onwodi, who thanked the Vice-Chancellor, added that certificate would be issued out to every participant at the end of training.
Also speaking, the Director of HASOB Integrated Services, Ezeanni Jude, said the first day was going to be “a train the trainers session where we are going to learn from each other through this facilitation. Technology is dynamic; is not something that is static.”
