The training of no fewer than 500 individuals in the Youths Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Training (YESAT) as part of the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project (MHEPP) local content initiative has commenced.
The Mambilla Power project will be largely funded by China’s Export-Import Bank, contributing 85 percent of the project’s $5.8 billion cost, while the federal government will provide the remaining 15 percent.
The training was flagged off by the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, on Saturday in Taraba State. He noted that the project is a collaboration between the ministry and the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).
He said the initiative will fix the MHEPP’s manpower development challenges and adequately equip host communities and position the entire state to draw the maximum benefits from the project.
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According to Mamman Sale, 500 youths will benefit from the YESAT programme in each state. Taraba State, which is the host state is the starting point for the project.
“The training shall be under five core courses namely, electrical house wiring, ICT essentials, catering management, masonry, bricklaying and plumbing as well as pipe-lifting for plants and buildings.
“The training shall be carried out in four batches of 125 participants each. The selection into the four batches of training will be based strictly on merit and distributed among the local government areas of the state,” he said.
The minister said that applications should be filled and submitted online, he also said that there is a list of courses available to choose from and that there is a three weeks window for submission of application.
According to him, the first batch of training is scheduled to start from January to February, 2021.
