FG Moves to Create More Jobs for Nigerians in Power Sector

In a bid to open more job spaces for Nigerians in the energy sector, President Goodluck Jonathan initiated a one-year apprenticeship scheme to coach 7,400 young Nigerians on technical jobs.

This initiative, christened the “National Power Sector Apprenticeship Scheme (NAPSAS),” is supposed to lessen the sector’s reliance on foreign expatriates.

Minister of Power Prof Chinedu Osita Nebo said,

“We need this and we cannot run away from it because if we don’t do it, the Chinese, Pakistani and Indians are coming. They are even here already and you see them doing jobs that Nigerians can do. Why don’t we train our people as we create these jobs so that when the international companies demand for expatriate quota, we can ask them if they have exhausted the local capacity that we have here.”

The NAPSAS programme will give young Nigerians the chance for technical trainings in the community of electrical fitters, cable jointers, linesmen and district substation operators within half a year to at least one year.

The minister explained the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) will manage the scheme and trainees will undoubtedly be drawn from all states of the federation, with state governments sponsoring 1,000 of them while the government will sponsor another 1,000 as well as providing monthly stipends of N18,000 during the duration of the training.

Nebo also announced the initiative will undoubtedly be launched by President Jonathan at an unannounced date.