The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has trained 12,000 youths on the repair and maintenance of tricycles as part of measures to enhance their livelihoods.
The council’s Director-General, Mr Jelani Aliyu, disclosed this on Sunday in Kano, while distributing certificates of participation and working tools to some of the trainees.
“Today marks another milestone at strengthening capacities of mechanics and technicians to ensure poverty reduction and enhance skills acquisition,’’ he said.
Aliyu said that the training would also assist to produce more competent craftsmen, who would not only become self-reliant, but also become entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
He said that the training was organised by the council, in collaboration with Stalion Bajaj Auto-Keke Group Mechatronics.
Aliyu explained that the training would ensure safety in the transport sector, because “tricycles are used as means of transportation particularly within urban areas in some parts of the country.
“Permit me to stress that maintenance of vehicles is an essential factor for safety.
“Our combined efforts will lead to the realisation of this goal which all of us are here to witness,’’ he said.
Aliyu also said that the trainees were drawn from Kwara, Ekiti and Kano states and he vowed to sustain efforts towards addressing the gaps in the auto repairs subsector of the economy.
In his remarks, the Training Manager, at the Industrial Training Fund, Kano Centre, Mr Okwori Abel, thanked NADDC for organising the training.
He urged the trainees to open workshops, cascade the training, as well as train other unemployed youths to enable them to become self-reliant.
Responding, Usman Yakub, spokesperson of the trainees, lauded the NADDC for organising the training, saying: “it has improved our knowledge for efficient service delivery.’’ (NAN)