Indigenous electricity meter manufacturing company, MOMAS, said it will train 300 unemployed youths on prepaid meter installation to complement Federal Government’s mass metering programme.
The Chairman of MOMAS, Mr. Kola Balogun, stated this in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.
According to him, the step was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility in building sustainable human capacity development of the youth.
He said that the training would commence at the MOMAS Metering School Campus located at the Momas Factory, Mowe, Ogun State, on Monday, November 16.
“The free metering installation training programme is for selected unemployed youths from the six geo-political zone of the country.
“The first phase will take two weeks and offer certificates to all trained youths,” he said.
Balogun noted that the training would complement the distribution of six million free prepaid meters by federal government under its National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).
The statement read further: “MOMAS, as a key stakeholder in the downstream of the power sector, sees the initiative as a viable way to create employment opportunities for our youths.
“The timing is unprecedented, given the fact that one of the complaints by the aggrieved youths during the recent #EndSARS protest is unemployment.
“MOMAS also identified that there is an urgent need to train more Nigerians on electricity meter installation to compliment the presidential directive.
“This is our own way of contributing our quota to ensuring that the initiative is successful.
“We have decided to train selected number of graduates across the six geo-political zones in the country on metering technology through our MOMAS metering school for free.”
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Balogun said that in addition to the training, MOMAS would provide the trainees with kits that would contain all the relevant tools for electricity meter installation, considering quantity of the approved meters.
He said that MOMAS would also engage the youth in the execution of some of its projects.
The MOMAS boss commended the government for encouraging local capacity and local content development in Nigeria, which, he said, spurred MOMAS into manpower capability development among unemployed youths.
“MOMAS is offering the training free of charge. While subsequent phases will attract payment.
“This is just to encourage the youths and also showcase the opportunity that is available,” he added.
Balogun urged government at all levels to support the initiative in building local capacity and manpower skills among youths.
He disclosed that more than 15 state governors had indicated interest to enroll their youths at MOMAS factory to benefit from the company’s free gesture to promote manpower skills in the country.