Former president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has applauded the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for directing the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to train 100 Bayelsa youths on modern methods of electrical installation and maintenance.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the NASENI Skill Acquisition Training and Youth Empowerment programme, Jonathan noted that science and technology are the keys to the rapid development and advancement of economies around the world. He urged the participants to use the starter packs and equipment provided to modernize their businesses and achieve economic self-reliance.
The overseeing officer of the NASENI Office of the Executive Vice Chairman, Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi expressed the agency’s gratitude to Jonathan for his unwavering support during his tenure as president, which led to the return of NASENI from the ministry’s bureaucracy. She explained that the training was part of the series of directives from President Buhari to the agency aimed at building the capacity of young people to create jobs and move towards self-employment.
The NASENI training on Modern Methods of Electrical Installations and Maintenance skill development workshop in Otuoke, Bayelsa State was the second of its kind in the south-south geopolitical zone.
The one-week training equipped the participants with the necessary skills to carry out electrical installations and maintenance in a modern way. They were also provided with equipment and tools worth millions of naira to enable them to start their own businesses and generate employment.
The executive secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote commended NASENI for its efforts to revive the critical attention needed for the development of vocational and skills upgrades of the Bayelsa youths geared towards self-reliance and employment generation. He emphasised that skills development and training are the solutions to removing the youths from the streets and giving them hope for a better future.
Onyechi stressed the importance of investing more in science and technology, noting that the skills required for electrical installations, repairs, and maintenance have extended beyond the supply of illumination and plug outlets. She called for the regular updating of practitioners’ expertise to remain relevant and generate jobs for themselves and others. She also highlighted the need for Nigeria to catch up with the rest of the world by embracing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the internet of things, big data, blockchains, and smart grids.
The NASENI Empowerment Programme has provided a great opportunity for Bayelsa youths to acquire modern electrical skills and tools that will enable them to start their own businesses and generate employment, a statement by the agency’s deputy director, information and protocol, Mr. Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, said.
It is a step in the right direction towards achieving economic self-reliance and reducing youth unemployment. However, there is a need for the Federal Government to invest more in science and technology to bring Nigeria to the forefront of global development and innovation.
