Olasunkanmi AKONI

THE Lagos State Government has concluded plans to partner with Senator Gbenga Ashafa, and other stakeholders on a career development programme for unemployed Nigerian graduates.

This is part of measures to arrest the dearth of qualified manpower in the nation’s power/energy sector as well as create jobs for the teeming youths in the state.

Already, about 15 candidates have been selected through a rigorous screening session for the pilot phase, tagged: “Lagos Youth Energy Career Programme, LYECP, and have since begun a six-month training with Siemens Power Academy, Lagos.

The youths during the period will be taken through different courses like general electrical and engineering principles, protection of electrical networks, distribution networks, energy data gathering, control and measuring principles, energy auditing and database management, power distribution economics and financial grid, as well as management of power projects.

The LYECP packaged by the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Lagos State Electricity Board, LSEB, in collaboration with Siemens, is sponsored by Senator Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

Ashafa, speaking at the launch of the programme, last week in Lagos, said the initiative became necessary in view of the challenges faced by the nation in her journey towards sustainable development and meaningful growth with regards to power supply.

“This challenge has become a hydra-headed monster drawing us many steps backward on every attempt to move forward. We have, for too long a time be indecisive on this issue that other nations almost consider us unserious as a people,” Ashafa said.

The senator, who pointed to the scarcity of expertise as one of the critical factors inhibiting the nation’s ability to transform the power sector, noted that the LYECP is a carefully designed programme in line with the Federal Government’s local content policy in the power sector.

Speaking further, he said “the LYECP is also a viable means of empowering graduates through job creation and practical training as the successful applicants will-as a core part of the programme, gain first handwork experience at Lagos State Electricity Board as energy officers.”

The Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Taofiq Tijani, charged the youths to seize the opportunity offered by the programme to prepare themselves for the future, as the liberalisation of power sector unfolds.