Mohammed Shosanya
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has trained 500 youths in Cross River State on solar power installation and maintenance.
The exercise took place in three locations: Calabar, Bekearra and Ogoja, making a significant contribution to the country’s sustainable energy sector.
At the closing ceremony of the training, Abdulmalik Halilu, Director, NCDMB, Planning, Research and Strategy,hinted that the Board initiated the programme to create employment opportunities in the country, generate wealth and empower the youths to contribute to the economy of the nation.
According to him, technology, skill acquisition in trades and agriculture are some of the high-impact economic sectors.
Director, NCDMB, Planning, Research and Statistics, emphasised that the unreliability of electric power is a major challenge affecting citizens’ quality of life and the success of business enterprises in Nigeria and Africa, hence the clamour for renewable energy solutions to become a major part of the energy mix.
He added that it was important for Nigerians to prepare and position themselves for opportunities in the renewable energy space, particularly because the nation enjoys abundant sunlight.
According to him, solar power installation and maintenance training provided an alternative source of power at homes and offices to support the national power grid in addition to providing job opportunities for the youths.
He disclosed that as part of the end-to-end planning for the programme, the Board has concluded arrangements to register cooperative societies for the group as well as provide shops where they would practice their trades.
He added:“The trainees will commence business as registration of cooperatives and the provision of shops in groups for the graduates has been done.
“This empowerment programme was aimed at providing lifelong support to youths that desired to be empowered in high impact economic sectors including oil and gas, Information and Communication Technology, Agriculture, construction, and others.
He expressed confidence in the potential of the trainee, adding that they are a pool of qualified talented youth equipped with capacities and capabilities to trouble shoot issues, proffer solutions, assemble, install and maintain solar projects that are currently largely import dependent.
He further implored Nigerian youths to take advantage of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS), adding that the platform is used to select participants for human capacity building interventions and employment opportunities whenever they are available.
Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo, immediate past Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring, who facilitated the NCDMB fully funded training programme in the state commended NCDMB for training youths in Cross River state.
