By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has trained about 500 youths on solar power installation and maintenance in Cross River State.
The Organization disclosed this in a press release, stating that the training programme was organized as part of the Board’s youth empowerment and human capacity-building initiatives.
The training, which lasted for six months, held in three locations within the State. The locations were Calabar, Bekearra and Ogoja.
The Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at the NCDMB, Mr Abdulmalik Halilu, hinted that the Board initiated the programme in order to create employment opportunities in the country, generate wealth and empower the youths to contribute to the economy of the nation.
He observed that technology, skill acquisition in trades and agriculture are some of the high-impact economic sectors.
In his own words, “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.
“It is important for Nigerians to prepare and position themselves for opportunities in the renewable energy space, particularly because the nation enjoys abundant sunlight.”
Halilu noted that the solar power installation and maintenance training provided an alternative source of power to homes and offices, thereby supporting the national power grid in addition to providing job opportunities for the youths.
“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.
“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 explained.”
The Director appealed to Nigerian youths to take advantage of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGIJQS), adding that the platform was used to select participants for human capacity-building interventions and employment opportunities whenever such interventions they were available.