Mkpoikana Udoma
26 February 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – As part of its skills acquisition programme, the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has announced plans to train 100 young men and women in automobile technology at Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Group.
Chairman of the board, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who made the announcement, explained that NDDC would soon select 100 young men and women from the region to undergo the training to boost their skills, stressing the importance of manpower development.
Senator Ndoma-Egba said the NDDC board had at its first meeting this year approved a visit to the factory and the Innoson Kiara Academy, a technical and vocational Institution established by an international consulting firm in partnership with Innoson Group, for training in different aspects of automobile maintenance.
According to him, “We believe that the real resource of any country is not its minerals but the young men and women of the country. However, they remain a resource only if they are trained, skilled and engaged.
“If they are not trained, skilled or engaged, instead of being a resource, they will become a curse. We don’t want our young men and women to be a curse. We prefer that they are resources, so that they can contribute their own quota to the development of the Niger Delta region.”
Senator Ndoma-Egba commended the Chairman of Innoson Group, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, for his faith and belief in Nigeria, stated that the Commission was interested in training Niger Delta youths, just like the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which was already sponsoring the training of 200 students at the Innoson Academy.
He assured that NDDC would support Innoson Motors, wondering why governments at different levels would not patronise locally-manufactured or assembled vehicles.
“We are highly impressed with what you have done. It is not just the facilities but the spirit behind what you have done. If we have a few more Nigerians with your level of believe in this country, we will be better off.
“You have shown that industrialising Nigeria is possible. We keep talking about local content, See what you have done, bringing expatriates here to help us meet global standards. After taking a ride in one of your buses, I believe that the products from your factory are world class.”
Addressing the 200 students sponsored by the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the NDDC chairman charged them to make maximum use of the opportunity, noting that the skills they acquire would empower them to be useful to themselves and to the society.
He told them that the acquisition of skills was meant to give them dignity and keep them away from destructive militancy, observing that militancy should be for positive goals, saying “I am a militant for development, knowledge and dignity.”
On his part, the Executive Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, said the company was working on modalities to open branches in parts of the Niger Delta region.
“We intend to open small factories in different parts of the Niger Delta to, among other things, employ those who have successfully gone through our trainings. I have challenged the trainees to put in their best efforts because Innoson will offer them automatic employment in our factories.”
