NDE trains 30 graduates on solar energy in Anambra

www.odogwublog.com reports that the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, has started a five days training workshop for 30 unemployed graduates on Solar Energy in Anambra state.

The participants were selected ten (10) each from the three senatorial zones of the state.

They would be trained on procurement, installation and maintenance of solar energy systems.
The Director-General of NDE, Dr Nasiru Ladan in a keynote address said in Awka that the solar energy training scheme, SETS, is one of the renewable training schemes designed by the NDE to generate employment for the unemployed graduates.
He said the motive of the programme was to explore new areas of job creation for the youths to develop critical sector of the nation’s economy and the national needs.
Ladan whose address was presented by NDE State Coordinator in Anambra, Mr. Eke Iroegbu noted that the energy is one of the essential infrastructural components needed for urban and rural economic development.
``Realizing the enormous demand for energy in Nigeria and sectors potential for employment, the NDE sought for other means of energy production and therefore adopted renewable energy training scheme as one of its strategies for employment generation.
``Nigeria is today witnessing slow progress in power generation which is not adequate for our industrial sector operation capacity, coupled with the explosive population of more than 160 million people that require constant supply of energy.
``Sadly, this circumstance happens in the face of abundant sunshine and human resources in the country, solar energy therefore becomes the obvious alternative to present epileptic power problem in the country’’, he said.
Ladan further said he was optimistic that the intervention would boost electricity supply in the country, adding that solar energy is fully accepted as a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly energy source.
He urged the participants to take the training seriously, as it was capable of stepping up the technological advancement and reduce unemployment challenges in the country.
Mr. Eke Iroegbu, the NDE Coordinator in Anambra said the overall mandate of NDE is to design and implement employment promotion programmes to tackle mass unemployment in intervention areas of vocational skills acquisition, and entrepreneurial training etc.
Eke explained that the solar energy training was organized by the directorate in collaboration with the National Assembly for the unemployed graduates.
He gave details of similar programmes the NDE had held in the recent time and advised participants to pay attention to the training and ensure they practice what they were taught during the week-long training.
On her part, Mrs. Henrietta Achigbu, the NDE Director Special Public Works Department, said the programme was designed to alleviate poverty and provide jobs to the unemployed graduates. 
``This is your opportunities to acquire skills that will help you showcase your potentials to become self-employed, self-sustaining and self-reliant’’, Achiegbu told the participants.