NASENI Equips Borno Youths With Skills, Distributes 500 Stoves To Women

Executive vice chairman and chief executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof Mohammad Sani Haruna, has kicked off the training of over 100  youths in Borno State on modern skills.

He said the exercise was part of the ongoing resettlement of those displaced by insurgency.

Haruna said the agency also distributed 500 smokeless stoves to women in the state in line with the federal government’s climate-change mitigation efforts.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the agency to collaborate with Borno State on poverty alleviation and restoration of full socio-economic activities of the people of the state.

Haruna, who spoke at the opening of NASENI Skill Acquisition Training and Youth Empowerment in Maiduguri, said the renewed peace fast returning to Borno State was commendable.

He said 100 youths from different parts of the state will undergo training on modern methods of vulcanising.

He said the scope of the training was on “Train the trainers” and “Train the users”.

He said, “NASENI is identifying with the giant stride and achievement of the government of Babagana Zulum in the establishment of technical and vocational education for job creation, agricultural mechanisation, and development of cottage industries.

“The approval for establishment of Industrial Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (IMEDI) in Maiduguri in line with the mandate of NASENI by President Muhammadu Buhari is deliberately designed to ensure realisation of these goals and objectives outlined above.

“These are also areas of specialisation of NASENI and the agency is directed by the chairman of the governing board, Buhari to partner with Borno State government for poverty alleviation and restoration of full socio-economic activities of the people of Borno State. God bless NASENI, God bless Borno State and God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Haruna, who listed the gains of the training for Borno youths, urged the participants to take the scheme seriously.

He added, “The training programme will expose the beneficiaries to new skill sets that will be required to make fortune and maintain a competitive edge in the vulcanizing business. The training programme will be fully practical in scope with hands-on engagements that will produce new set of vulcanizing technicians who can provide necessary services on modern vehicles with more electronic components and smarter technologies compared to hitherto manual based vehicles.

“As the trends in vehicle manufacturing continues to advance, the service providers that will be able to cope with technological advancement in the vehicle maintenance including the vulcanizing technicians must be well trained to cope with the new dynamics.

“I urge the participants to take the training seriously as a mean of their sustainable livelihood full of potential for job and wealth creation. The context of the training will be both ‘Train the trainers’ and ‘Train the users’.

“By this training module, beneficiaries can develop multiple strategic business units by leveraging the outcomes of the training namely vulcanizing service provider, training in modern vulcanizing equipment or both with expanded stream of incomes.

“NASENI is equally ready to support enterprise when the upcoming consumer App being co designed by NASENI SPENN Ltd is launched in Nigerian market soon. The block chain technology backed by financial engineering solution will provide financial inclusion possibilities as well as business support funding for your enterprise development.”

The executive vice chairman also distributed 500 smokeless stoves to some women to mitigate climate change.

He said: “We are also here to extend the tentacles and benefits of NASENI’s climate action to selected women from all the local government areas in Borno State.

“In line with the Federal Government of Nigeria climate-change mitigation efforts, we have co- designed save 80 efficient, smokeless and climate smart Cook Stove with a German Nongovernmental Organization – The Atmosfair Germany. NASENI is distributing 500 units of these stoves approved for Borno State to the beneficiaries. This is in support of Borno State resettlement programme.”