Executive vice chairman and chief executive (EVC/CE) of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, yesterday unfolded plans by President Muhammadu Buhari to end Nigeria’s reliance on foreign artisans.
Haruna said President Buhari has directed the agency to equip Nigerian youths to reverse the current practice of importing artisans.
He said the target given to NASENI covers modern massive skill acquisition training for artisans to be able to cope with global challenges. The NASENI boss made the disclosures at the flag-off of training and youth empowerment for youths in Ibadan, Oyo State.
He said the training was aimed at reversing over reliance on artisans from neighbouring countries. Haruna said, “Artisans from neighbouring African countries today are taking over the few occupational jobs available in the built environment and in the construction industry.
“The president has empowered NASENI to lead the nation to a manufacturing economy and undoubtedly this type of skill development is a key prerequisite, that is – competent workforce.”
“It is the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari that NASENI must work hard to build the critical mass of Nigeria to reverse the trend and provide competitive know-how to Nigerians to meet local demand and export labour abroad.
“The skill development in many specialized areas of need is ongoing and the trainees are expected to train others.
“The 100 participants in Oyo State were carefully selected through due diligence and are all receiving their modern tools as start-ups.
“They have automatic membership of a platform of NASENI for continuous knowledge and experience sharing in the dynamic area of their chosen occupation.” He said the re-tooling scheme for youths has been yielding dividends for the country.
He added: “I know of two foreign embassies associated with NASENI that used to bring technicians from their home countries to repair their water closets sanitary and sewage system due to poor workmanship and incompetence of Nigerian artisans in modern and automated systems.
“They no longer require expatriates with NASENI’s intervention. It is painful that several building leakages are due to poor plumbing work resulting in unsightly walls and weak structure.
Haruna said the training on modern methods of plumbing and its application was to ensure that the needed capacity building in areas that appear lacking in a particular state of the federation will be attended to. He said acquiring practical technical skills in a fast changing world order was designed to guarantee gainful employment and income for sustainable livelihoods.
He added: “The training launched today in Ibadan for the South-West is in the first phase of regional skill development of NASENI in the implementation series of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to NASENI to ensure development of skills of our teeming youths necessary for job creation and self-employment generation.
“The subsequent phases of this training will ensure that the needed capacity building in areas that appear lacking in a particular state of the federation will be attended to
