The Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr.Goodluck Ebele Jonathan handing over a set of modern equipment for electrical installations and maintenance to one of the beneficiaries of the training Mr. Osobirigo Ayibamiete during the commencement of the Five-Day training in Bayelsa state while the Overseeing Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi ( first-right), the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State Mr. Lawrence O. Ewhrudjakpo (2 nd -right) and others watched him perform the symbolic hand over of the equipment today in Otuoke,Bayelsa State.

The Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has attributed the fast developments and advancement in the economies of the developed world to the warm embrace of the knowledge of science and technology.

The former President said that “science and technology is the secret of the on-going fast developments and advancement in the economies of the developed world”

While urging Nigerians to give serious attention to the application of STI Policy, the former President attributed Nigeria’s underdevelopment to the absence of science and technology culture.

The former President who lauded President Buhari’s Administration policy for the steps taken to infuse engineering techniques training to empower the youths, said, Science Technology and innovation (STI) was the right step to the growth and development of the country

Former President Dr. Jonathan said without investment in agencies like the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and other research and technologies institutions, economic transformations of Nigeria would be difficult to attain.

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan spoke on Tuesday in Otuoke, Bayelsa State at the opening ceremony of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Skill Acquisition Training and Youth Empowerment Programme

The selected youths are under- going training on modern methods of electrical installation and maintenance held at Otuoke, home town of the former President.

The former President who was the special Guest of honour at the event urged the participants to use the starter packs and equipment given to them at the end of the five-Day training to modernize their businesses and not to fall into the temptation of selling the starter packs worth millions of naira but to become economically self-reliance with use of the starter packs.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Overseeing Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Office of the Executive Vice Chairman, Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi said the NASENI training on Modern Methods of Electrical Installations and Maintenance skill development workshop in Otuoke, Bayelsa State was the second of its kind in the South-South geopolitical zone

She stated that part of the series of directives from President Muhammadu Buhari to the Agency aimed at building the capacity of young people was to enable them create jobs and to move toward self-employment.

She explained that the training was a fall-out of the new status and operation of the Agency because NASENI does not operate anymore within the Ministry’s bureaucracy.

“This training workshop and empowerment programme aimed at upgrading the skills of 100 Bayelsa youths in modern methods of electrical installations and maintenance is in line with new trends in the world as we move towards the fourth Industrial revolution, and developments in frontiers of cutting-edge technology shaping the work life.” she said

She stated that these technologies include artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the internet of things, big data, block chains, additive manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, gene editing, 5G networks, as well as smart grids and calls for wireless power in every sector of human endeavour, including agriculture, health care, industry, transportation, and hospitality requiring electricity.

Giving reasons for the need for the training, the NASENI boss averred that the skills required for electrical installations, repairs and maintenance are no longer limited to meter conduiting, piping, or trunking of cable channel and streaming overhead conductors alone, but had extended beyond the supply of illumination and plug outlets, adding that Practitioners’ expertise must be updated regularly to remain relevant and to generate jobs for themselves and others.

She said Bayelsa youths were rather fortunate to have their skills sharpened with the current training while hoping that such excellent strategy would not be missed in order for them to catch up with the rest of the world.

Every beneficiary at the end of the one week-training will be given equipment and tools worth millions of naira in order to operate a more modern way of carrying out electrical installations and maintenance.

Mrs. Onyechi used the occasion to express appreciation of the management of NASENI to the former President of the country, Goodluck Jonathan for his unwavering support for the Agency while in office leading to the return of NASENI to the Presidency from the Ministry’s bureaucracy.

She said “the entire board and management of NASENI are eternally grateful to the Statesman, President Jonathan because his efforts on NASENI had enabled it to function optimally to deliver the expected good to Nigerians, bringing innovation and infusion of Science and Engineering to modernize Nigeria industries.”

The Chairman of the occasion who is the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB) Engr.Simbi Kesiye Wabote commended NASENI for reviving the critical attention needed for the development of vocational and skills upgrade of the Bayelsa youths geared toward self-reliance and employment generation.

In the South-South alone he said, over 2000 vocational centres exist and yet many of them were either moribund or abandoned, noting that NASENI interventions in this regard was most needed and commendable.