By Angela Nkwocha
In a bid to boost the Nigerian automotive industry, ease efficient servicing and maintenance of new generation vehicles, create job opportunities for youths, reduce poverty and more importantly boost the nation’s level of economy the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in collaboration with the member representing Langtang North and South Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Hon. Beni Lar, has facilitated a workshop by a team of automobile expert engineers to Langtang, Plateau State for youth workers in the region to aid effective automobile electronic services in the country.
The training which is facilitated by ROMSI Technical Limited incorporated modern elements of diagnosing all forms of cars and necessary skills to cope with new trend in the industry.
The workshop had participants empowered with modern tools including on-board diagnostic software (OBDII), a computer-based system built into modern passenger cars that gives engineers access to monitor emission related controls and performance of the engine, and detects malfunctions without stress.
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of NASENI Prof. Mohammed Haruna, who was in the region to also commission skills acquisition center at Kukwar village, Gazum community of the state said empowering the youths remained the best way to eradicate poverty in the country.
He commended Lar for collaborating with the agency to give youths in the region a hope in life, urging others to also create impact in their regions and take responsibilities of mentorship.
“In Langtang we are blessed with Beni Lar, a very successful legislator and I hope we will give her higher responsibility. I am so happy to be the one encouraging others to do the same thing I did to become what I became. We will continue to support Honorable and I believe for you this is the beginning because you are doing your best to give the dividends of democracy despite the challenging period and I love the way you are mentoring others because absence of mentorship is what is lacking in many of the leaders we have,” he said.
The NASENI boss added that with the training, each of the participants is expected to empower at least five others using the expertise acquired, adding it would help them to be gainfully employed.
“Now, they have the tools for detecting what people call computerized version. A lot of times some failures in the engine people will tell you is brain box, is not brain box is engine management system. Now this will direct them to the exact spot and once their professionalism is noted people will be coming to them and will be giving them job. I assure you this is adequate for them to be gainfully employed, to feed their families and even train others,” he further pointed out.
To the beneficiaries, he advised them to ensure that they put into practice what they have learnt saying in the process of impacting on the lives of others their lives would also be touched.
On why she embarked on the project, Hon Lar said the intention was to totally eradicate poverty in the region and build the capacity of the youth to conform to modern realities and meet up with the present day challenges.
While commending NASENI for changing the narrative of Nigeria in terms of science development, she stressed the need for made- in-Nigeria products, saying it is only with synergies like this that Nigeria could achieve development.
“NASENI is one of the best science agencies. Professor Haruna has done tremendous things and recorded many achievements.
“I went to China and saw what you are doing; today you are training about 300 Nigerian engineers in China and in other fields and very soon Nigeria will be producing its own solar light, no more importation of solar light because of NASENI. You also have a lot of entrepreneurs which is what by God’s grace you are going to do in Langtang for now until you upgrade us to agricultural machinery development institute. For now, we are going to have a skills acquisition and development centre,” she stated.
She similarly thanked the king of Gazum Chiefdom, Langtang Local Government of Plateau State for willingly donating land for the construction of a skill acquisition centre in KuKwar village, Gazum community.
While appreciating Hon. Lar for putting up the workshop the beneficiaries described the training as a live saver stressing that it will accord them the opportunity to identify the problems of automobiles directly instead of the routine guess work, or calling experts outside the region to aid detect the problem.
The Executive Chairman of Langtang North Local Government, Dr Josua Unbandoma and the King of Gazum, HRH Ponzi Zinni commended NASENI and Lar, promising the region would not disappoint the noble intention of the agency to bring development in the community.
