Kebbi government says it has concluded arrangement with a US-based company to train more than 300 youths on solar energy, as part of efforts to provide employment opportunities in the state.
Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Attairu Maccido, stated this in Birnin-Kebbi on Monday during the flag-off of an in-house training for selected youths before the arrival of the company’s team in the state.
Macccido said that the selected youths comprised 150 girls and 150 boys, adding that their training would last for 10 weeks, under the tutelage of the company, which would commence in February 2022.
“The future is already here, as we have partnered with the solar energy department at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
“At the same time, the Progressive Governors’ Forum has teamed up to invite a solar company from USA to train our youths on solar energy.
“Gov. Atiku Bagudu is working hard to ensure that we start producing our solar panels here in Kebbi rather than importing them. So, the future is already here.
“We have started with 300 trainees on panels, for now, after the initial training of 25 youths at the National Power Institute of Nigeria (NAPIN) this year.
“We are now training 300, comprising 150 girls and 150 boys. We have started with150 of girls, as we are already in collaboration with the solar company in USA through the Diaspora Commission,” he said.
Although the commissioner said that the training would begin in February 2022, government decided to start with its own in-house training so that it would be easier for them when the programme eventually took off with the arrival of the experts from US.
Earlier, Special Adviser to the Governor on Power, Alhaji Yusuf Haruna-Rasheed, urged the participants to dedicate themselves fully to the training.
“As women, we deem it necessary to start with you, because you are the bedrock of the society.
“When women are productive and are contributing to the societal development, surely, the sky is the limit for such a society as far as development is concerned,” he said.
Haruna-Rasheed enjoined the trainees to utilise the opportunity to better their lives and those of their families.
One of the trainers, Umar Faruku, thanked the state government for sponsoring them to attend numerous trainings on power and solar energy at NAPIN.
He said that the training would afford them the opportunity to learn more about power and solar energy, which they would cascade to the younger ones in the society.
