07 November 2014, Lagos – President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday in Abuja inaugurated the National Power Apprenticeship Scheme, NAPSAS, urging participants in the scheme to maximise the opportunities it presents.
Jonathan was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim.
He said the scheme was a vital aspect of his administration’s drive to provide meaningful employment opportunities for Nigerian youths.
“It will provide the enabling environment for the development of skills required to underpin the growth of the power sector,” he said.
According to him, the scheme marks a major step forward in the realization of the country’s vision for improved employment opportunities for the nation’s young people.
Jonathan said his administration was committed to the country’s economic growth in its position as the largest economy in Africa.
He said that since the inauguration of the power sector road map in 2010, the sector had witnessed major developments, including the privatization of generation and distribution assets.
The president said that investment in development of human capital in the power sector had suffered setbacks for many years prior to the reform.
For almost 20 years, the former NEPA or PHCN did not recruit new staff, including engineers, artisans, technicians and craftsmen.
I believe that this scheme will provide skilled manpower that the distribution, generation and transmission companies can build on to underpin their growth programmes being awaited by Nigerians.
“Let me reiterate that the provision of safe and reliable electricity to every Nigerian is one of the cardinal objectives of the transformation agenda of my administration.”
He said that to achieve this objective, the ministry of power was actively pursuing private investment in the new power generation project.
The 7, 400 participants are drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT to participate in the six months programme in four batches.
The Federal Government will sponsor 3, 700 while State Governments and the FCT will provide additional 3,700 trainees.
The NAPSAS was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Power to bridge the gap in the low-end skill cadre in the power sector.
*Daily Independent
