The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has empowered One Hundred (100) youths across Kwara State in line with the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari on upscale of the skills of youths nationwide in order to promote employment and self-reliance.

NASENI has previously carried out similar exercises in eleven (11) States of the Federation, totaling about 1100 youths altogether trained nationwide in various vocations ranging from Electrical Installations and Maintenance, Modern Auto-mechanics and Diagnostics, Solar Installations and Maintenance, Modern Tailoring and Installations of Plaster of Paris, popularly known as POP.

The new Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Dr. Bashir Gwandu during the closing ceremony of the five (5) Day training today in Ilorin, Kwara State capital thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the foresight by the Federal Government to impact directly the youths through the NASENI Skill Development Programme which began since middle of year 2022 and the first phase was targeted to be completed before the expiration of the tenure of President Buhari Administration in May,29.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI said the closing ceremony in Ilorin on “Modern Methods of Electrical Installations and Maintenance and skill development workshop was significant because it marked the second of its kind in the North Central Geo-political Zone by NASENI, and it was part of the series of directives from His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to NASENI to build the capacity of young people in Modern Electrical Installations and Maintenance amongst other vocations and professions.

He said “Our aim is to ensure that our teeming youths develop modern skills in electrical installations and maintenance required for creation of jobs and self-employment generation.” The NASENI helmsman therefore thanked His Excellency, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, CFR, the Chief of Staff to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his unwavering support for NASENI. According to him, the entire Board, Management, and Staff of NASENI, he said, were eternally grateful for the efforts of the Chief of staff in giving the Agency a new lease of life to realize the dreams of its founding fathers.

Represented at the occasion by the Coordinating Director, Planning & Business Development Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi, the New NASENI Chief Executive also explained that the efforts by the President and support by Chief of Staff had helped NASENI in bringing innovation and infusion of science and engineering in different sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The Chief of Staff to President, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, while declaring the training closed represented by Engr. Yahya Alapansanpa, Chairman, Governing Board of Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), who also doubled as Dan Masanin of Ilorin and Chairman, Durban Committee representing the Emir of Ilorin Dr (Alh) Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, said the concern of Buhari Administration was to build the capacity of youths and to empower them mentally and skills upgrade as a way of preparing g the youths for the future.

“The policy of the Federal Government is to increase the capacity and competence of the youths and the country's workforce to be able to compete with their contemporaries within and outside the country. The Chief of Staff urged participants to use the modern tools not to only empower themselves but also to become successful entrepreneurs in electrical installations and maintenance and beyond.

He urged trainees to aspire to compete with contemporaries of the same vocation in other countries including developed countries. He said, this type of skill development was a key precondition for Nigeria's development of a competent workforce.

Prof. Bolaji Abdufatai representing the Chairman of the Occasion Prof. Suleiman Adeyemi, Former Vice Chancellor Federal University of Technology(FUT), Minna thanked President Buhari for supporting NASENI Skills Acquisition Programme for the youths because the equipping of the trainees was preparing them to respond to the ever-changing technology advancements taking place in today's technology world of electronics, electricals, power, tools and appliances. According to him, the application of the knowledge acquired during the five-Day training would benefit not only those who participated in the training but also those in the vocation within the State and its environs.

The Governor of Kwara State Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development Barr. Olabode George Towoju said the empowerment of youths in Kwara State was a priority programme of the Governmnent before now as grants of various types have been issued to youths who had entrepreneurial prospects and therefore what NASENI had brought to the State as directed by Mr. President was quite timely and commendable.

Some of the modern tools and equipment handed over to the participants during the Closing ceremony included: Work-Master, Electrical Tools Box, Cordless Drilling Machine, Multi-Meter Tester and Other Electrical tool Kits amongst others.

NASENI now functions independently of the Civil Service Bureaucracy and well equipped to carry out the critical tasks in advancements of cutting-edge technologies including influencing the fourth Industrial Revolution, disrupting traditional methods, and imposing regular modifications and standards. Modern electric energy is vital for all aspects of human activity including agriculture, healthcare, industry, transportation, and hospitality. The aim of the training was to familiarize the participants with new and emerging technologies in electrical installations, repairs, and maintenance, as well as current advancements in those fields. It was also to prepare and equip them with the necessary skills to take on the opportunities and challenges that will arise as the next Industrial Revolution takes shape. By preparing these youths with modern techniques, NASENI had put them ahead of others in the region in terms of skills, practical exposure to new technology, and troubleshooting.