In its bid to complement the Federal Government’s effort to roll out free 6,000,000 free meters to electricity customers nationwide, MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company, MEMMCOL, has offered to train over 300 unemployed youths on effective electricity metering programme scheme.
The Chairman, MEMMCOL, Kola Balogun disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists at the weekend in Lagos.
Speaking on the idea behind the initiative, he said the idea was to extend the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility to some States of the federation to develop manpower capability among unemployed youths in Nigeria.
Balogun said that this will enable unemployed youths to benefit from the other value addition of the Federal Government initiative to role out some meters to consumers.
He said that, beside the facts that the initiative will enhanced manufacturing sector of the power sector, the meter factories, the extension is to develop manpower skills to be able to install the meter.
He said that the free metering installation programme training for unemployed youths is selected from the six Geo-Political zone of the country, which the first phase will take two weeks with offer to give certificate to all trained youths.
“MOMAS as a key stakeholder in the downstream of the power sector, we see the initiative as viable way to create employment opportunities for our youths and timing is unprecedented given the fact that one of the complaints by the aggrieved youths doing the recent #EndSARS# protest is unemployment.
“MOMAS also identified that there is urgent need to train more Nigeria on electricity meter installation to compliments the Presidential directive,” he said.
Continuing he said: “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.
“In addition to the training, we shall provide the trainees with kits, this will contain all the relevant tools for electricity meter installation, considering quantity of the approved metres.
“There will be enough jobs for the youths to do and we would also engage them in the execution of some of our projects, “MOMAS boss added.
The MOMAS boss said the there is need for government to consider manpower skills in the installation of the meters as this will also go a long way to develop the youth and create job opportunities for them.
He, however, lauded government for encouraging local capacity and local content development in Nigeria, adding that it also informed MOMAS to take it upon themselves 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.
Balogun, urged State Government and other legislators to support the initiative in building local capacity and manpower skills among youths than spending money on irrelevant projects.
He urged other State government to inculcate this in their budget geared towards developing human skills capacity the initiative.
Balogun 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 skill 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, November 16.
It would be recalled that the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) has commenced distribution of free electricity meters to Nigerians with simultaneous launch events of the scheme in Kano, Kaduna, Eko and Ikeja DisCos 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 billing in the electricity sector.
