……Set to build human capital development through effective electricity metering technology training
MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company, MEMMCOL, has offered to train over 300 unemployed youths on effective electricity metering programme scheme to complement Federal Government’s effort on massive roll out of metering into the power sector.
The Chairman of MEMMCOL, Kola Balogun, disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists at the weekend in Lagos, adding that the firms would build human capital development through meter training to unemployed youths in the country.
Balogun said that the step was part of efforts to take teeming youths out of the street and building sustainable human capacity development.
He said that the idea behind the initiative was to extend the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility to some states of the country by developing manpower capability among unemployed youths.
“This will enable unemployed youths to benefit from the other value addition of the Federal Government initiative to role out some meters to consumers”, said Balogun.
“Beside the fact that the initiative will enhanced manufacturing sector of the power sector, the meter factories by extension are to develop manpower skills to be able to install the meters”, he added.
“The free metering installation programme training for unemployed youths is for selected youths from the six Geo-Political zone of the country. The first phase will take two weeks and offer certificates to all trained youths”, the chairman stressed.
The step according to him became important in view of the recent efforts and commitment of the Federal Government at ensuring that Nigerians are metered which culminated into the intervention by way of a Presidential approval of three million electricity meters.
He said that the meters would be deployed to accelerate revenue generation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NASI) as well as eradicate estimated billings to customers.
“MOMAS, as a key stakeholder in the downstream of the power sector, see the initiative as 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 compliments the Presidential directive.
“This is our own way of contributing our quota at ensuring that the initiative is successful.
“We have decided to train selected number of graduates across all the six Geo-political zones in the country on metering technology through our MOMAS metering school for free,” MOMAS boss said.
Balogun said that in addition to the training, MOMAS shall provide the trainees with kits that would contain all the relevant tools for electricity meter installation, considering quantity of the approved metres.
According to him, there will be enough jobs for the youths to do and MOMAS will also engage them in the execution of some of its projects.
The MOMAS helmsman said the there was need for government to consider manpower skills in the installation of the meters as such would also go a long way to develop the youth and create job opportunities for them.
He, however, lauded the government for encouraging local capacity and local content development in Nigeria, which he said informed MOMAS to take it upon itself to develop manpower capability among unemployed youths.
“MOMAS is offering the training for free of charge without paying a dime. While subsequent phase will tract payment.
“This is just to encourage the youths and also showcase the opportunity that is available,” he added.
Balogun urged state governments and legislators to support the initiative in building local capacity and manpower skills among youths than spending money on irrelevant projects.
He said that over 15 state governors had indicated interest to send youths to MOMAS factory to benefit from the company’s free gesture to train all selected dedicated individuals from their states to promote manpower skills in the country.
He said that the training will commence at the MOMAS Metering School Campus located at the Momas Factory, Orimerunmu, Mowe Ogun State on Monday.
Recalled that the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) has commenced distribution of free electricity meters to Nigerians with simultaneous launch of the scheme in Kano, Kaduna, Eko and Ikeja DISCO franchise areas.
The programme was initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure mass metering with the hope of putting an end to the problem of estimated billings in the electricity sector.
