The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), in partnership with Abuja Graduate School, on Tuesday commenced training of 25 youths in Anambra on solar power Installation and maintenance.
Mrs Chika Ufele, state Co-ordinator of the NDE, at the opening of the five-day training in Awka, said that the training was as a result of the enormous demand for energy in the country.
Ufele said the training was designed to generate employment for  graduates of tertiary institutions, secondary school leavers and other technically inclined persons.
She described the training as a way to explore new areas of job creation, to develop critical sectors of the economy from the abundant sunshine across the country.
“The directorate recognised that solar energy is an essential Infrastructure component needed for urban and rural development.
“With the presence of abundant natural wealth such as sunshine, in the country, and surplus unemployed youths, solar energy, therefore, becomes the obvious alternative to the challenges in the power sector.
“Also, with the enormous demand for energy in the country, NDE sought for other means of energy production and, therefore, adopted renewable energy training as one of its strategies for employment generation.
“We also know that Nigeria today is witnessing slow progress in power generation with the total generation not adequate for the population of over 200 million people.
“These people need constant supply of energy to be productive and progressive in the present day society, “she said.
Ufele said the training would equip the 25 participants with skills on solar power installation and maintenance, to enable them become self-reliant and masters of their own businesses.
She enjoined the participants to take advantage of the training to acquire skills that would impact on their lives and the Nigeria society at large.
“The time has, therefore, come for all of us to become more aware of the direct contribution solar energy makes to our lives and our economy.
“The energy supply from the sun is truly enormous, inexhaustible and the only energy source, which is completely non-polluting and can be utilised economically to supply man’s energy needs for all time.
“There is no doubt that energy is the motive force behind the sustained technological development of any nation,” she added.
Also speaking, Mr Efe Drian, one of the trainers, said that the major problem confronting robust economic growth was the seemingly unresolvable power supply problems in the country.
According to him, Nigeria needed to seek for alternatives to its present power energy mix..
“After the training on this solar power installation programme, it will enable the trainees to acquire more insights to alternative power supply, through solar energy.”Drian said. (NAN)