Determined to end influx of foreign artisans into Nigeria, particularly in the building and electrical subsector of the construction industry, the Federal Government through the National Agency For Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has begun special training to raise no fewer than 4,000 certified artisans across the country.
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of NSENI, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the NASENI skill acquisition training and youth empowerment on “Modern Methods of Electrical Installation and Maintenance”, on Monday, in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun state.
About 100 participants who are licensed electrical contractors were selected across the state to participate in the training which would last five days.
The training, which was facilitated by Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola who is contesting for the seat of the Ogun West Senatorial District, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Work tools and other training kits were also handed over to the participants who are expected to train others in electrical installations.
Haruna, who spoke through the Coordinating Director, Finance of the Agency, Ibrahim Baba Dauda, explained that NASENI, in obedience to the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to end Nigeria’s reliance on foreign artisans, had commenced the training programme to equip youths with the necessary skills towards job creation and self-employment. He disclosed that the training would be carried out in all the 36 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory.
“What we are doing today is what NASENI is doing to put a stop to foreign artisans influx by empowering even the existing skilled manpower in modern ways of doing things and upgrading their skills.
“That is exactly the directive of Mr. President to NASENI, to ensure that we do all this round the whole country. We have done this in various states. We have done it Kastina, Nassarawa, Borno, Cross River and Oyo states. We are now in Ogun state. We are going around everywhere to make sure that at least we start with 100 youths so that they too can become the trainers to train other people in this modern ways of doing things.
“At the end of the day, the influx of people coming to all these skill works will be reduced, if not completely eliminated. That is the target of NASENI by going about doing this skill acquisition programme,” he stated.
Haruna said that Nigerian artisans are not in high demand in the market because many of them do not possess the right skills required in the industry.
He added; “This training is therefore to familiarise the trainees not only on the current advances of new and emerging technologies in electrical installations, repairs and maintenance, but to also prepare, equip them and build adequate competencies to meet the challenges and opportunities of the development anticipated of the shape and nature of the next industrial revolution.
“Preparing the youths and their skills in modern methods is a veritable strategy to open them up to rare opportunities of being ahead of others in this region in terms of skills, practical exposures to new tools, including trouble shooting which this training will give to them at the end or the one-week long exercise”.
In his welcome address, the National Vice President of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), Yinka Akintomide, urged the participants to make use of the knowledge and tools given to them by the organisers of the training.
“Someone people call you roadside electricians, now you will prove them wrong with this training you are getting here today”, Akintomide said.
In their respective remarks, the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle; a former deputy governor in Ogun state, Mrs Salmot Badru; and former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi, bemoaned dearth of certified artisans in the country, charging the participants to make use of the opportunity offered by the 5-dat training.
Speaking, Senator Adeola, said the training was intended to build cognate capacities and improvement in skill among the youth in the important energy sector of the country’s economy.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Kayode Odunaro, Adeola, added that the presidential initiative through NASENI remained a veritable way of creating a pool of skilled professionals that would not only be gainfully employed, but have potentials to equally generate employment for others in due course.