The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has urged local professionals to brace up for global technological challenges in order to meet up with local and foreign demands.
NASENI stated that technology is advancing on a daily basis globally and in order not to be left behind, there is a need for training and retraining of local professionals with hi-tech equipment.
This development necessitated the directive of the Federal government to NASENI for training and retraining artisans and craftsmen from the six geo-political zones of the Country.
In strict compliance with the Federal government directives, the Agency has concluded a week-long training and presentation of hi-tech plumbing equipment worth millions of naira to the 100 service engineers with areas of specialization in plumbing from the South-West region.
The programme which is aimed at keeping the service engineers, especially plumbers abreast of global technological advancement was held in Ibadan, on Monday.
The event had in attendance the Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive of NASENI, Professor Mohammad Maiwalima Sani Haruna, the Chief Managing Director of the University College Hospital, Prof.Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, Hon. Olaide Akinremi and a host of others.
Professor Haruna disclosed that training and retraining of local professionals would boost the nation’s economy, as well as makes local professionals be at par with their foreign counterparts.
He stressed the need for local professionals to be abreast of the global technological challenges, adding that this can only be achieved with training and re-training of personnel.
“The training launched today in Ibadan for South West is in the first phase of regional skill development of NASENI in the implementation of a series of President Muhammadu Buhari directives to NASENI to ensure the 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 the areas that appear lacking in a particular state of the federation is attended to,” he said.
He added “Advancement in manufacturing technologies is introducing new tools, new products especially plumbing materials and wares developed from composite material.
“The convenience of a combination of fluid and pneumatic systems, reticulations and waste treatment requires knowledgeable technicians, craftsmen and engineers to be trained and retrained to update their knowledge on modern trends and techniques.
“The training, will therefore not only prepare the youth for gainful employment but also update the competence of existing technicians, artisans, and even engineers.
“The World of work is changing and will continue to change. In order to be relevant, artisans, technicians and engineers need to develop competencies in many areas for job mobility and employability
“I know of two Foreign Embassies associated with NASENI that used to bring technicians from their home countries to repair their water closets and sewage system due to poor workmanship and incompetence of Nigerian Artisans in a modern and automated system.
“However, this practice has stopped with the intervention of NASENI. It is painful that several building leakages are traceable to poor plumbing works.
“Artisans from neighbouring African Countries are taking over the few occupational jobs available in the build environment and Construction Industry.”
However, President Buhari has directed that NASENI must work hard to reverse the trend and provide competitive know-how to Nigeria to meet local demand and export labour abroad.
In his address, the Chief Medical Director, UCH, Ibadan, Professor Abiodun Otegbayo urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunities to better their lots.
According to him, “The world is facing a worsening youth employment crisis: young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and almost 73 million youth worldwide are looking for work.
“We have been warned of a “scarred” generation of young workers facing a dangerous mix of high unemployment, increased inactivity, and precarious work in developed countries, as well as the persistent high poor working population in the developing world.
“In line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, the Federal Government adopted a Resolution calling for immediate, targeted, and renewed action to tackle the youth employment crisis.
“They came up with initiatives like this to fill the gap of unemployment and reduction of youth restiveness through youth empowerment for self-sustenance
“The young people want better job opportunities, a good education, access to affordable quality health care, responsive and accountable governments, and increased efforts to tackle climate change and I believe that this Forum is the right place for the youths to articulate their vision and make their dreams come through as the world prepares for the next development agenda.
“As we discuss Modern Methods of Plumbing and its Applications, it means we work towards all young people having the opportunity to modern ways of plumbing, to profit better from the skill, to find gainful employment and pursue rewarding careers, and to benefit from civic and political empowerment.
“Let us all share our experiences from every sector of society to help create a world where the youths would live a life where they can achieve their full potential.”
In his address, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akinremi Olaide advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the equipment.
In his comment, one of the beneficiaries, Abimbola Mubarak thanked NASENI for the gesture.
“This gesture will reshape my life and put me on a higher pedestal. I am highly grateful to President Buhari, NASENI and other people for making this project a reality.”
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