To ensure skill upgrade in the Nigeria Automotive Industry, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) on Tuesday commenced Specialized Mechatronics Training and Heavy Duty Training in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Speaking in Akure at the opening ceremony of the two week training programme organized by the NADDC in collaboration with the Lafbart Innovations and Consulting Limited, the NADDC Director General, Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin emphasized that the Mechatronics programme was aimed at equipping Nigerian technicians with requisite skills and knowledge needed for the repair and maintenance of new technology vehicles, adding that the training encompasses all the safety precautions which provides important information intended to prevent property damage, personal injury to the operator and the environment.
“Today marks another milestone in our automotive industry because this training is strategically designed to ensure the required skills upgrade and capacity building for auto technicians and youths. This is to enable them cope with the task of repair and maintenance of Mechatronics and heavy Duty vehicles which has become a serious challenge” he said.
Osanipin stressed that the training was further necessitated by the need to nip in the bud the problem of road traffic crashes involving tankers, trailers and other heavy duty vehicles across the country.
” With this training, our mechanics would be able to service and maintain the vehicles to reduce the incidence of vehicle breakdown, crashes and the attendant losses on our roads” he explained.
In appreciation of the NADDC initiatives, the Executive Governor of Ondo State ably represented by the Chief of Staff to the State Government, Prince Olusegun Omojuwa, assured of the State Government’s support in driving the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative of the Federal Government been promoted by the NADDC.
He affirmed that the NADDC Mechatronics Training sync with the job creation programmes of the Ondo State.
” What you’re doing here today resonates well with the programmes of Ondo State Government. As a matter of fact, you have come as a value addition to what the State Government is doing to creat more job opportunities for our youths”.
The Governor enjoined the NADDC to sustain the training platform to enable more indigenes of Ondo State benefit from the programme.
“This is a good collaboration between the NADDC and Ondo State Government. The Governor is prepared to drive this programme in a manner that will give credit to all the operators in the project” he concluded.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director, Lafbart Innovations and Consulting Limited, Engr. Olufemi Olafumilaye thanked the Director General and the entire management team of the Council for the maximum support and productive partnership in promoting the automotive industry in Nigeria.
In his words ” Many years ago, NADDC provided the take off funds for Lafbart through the Bank of Industry. 12 years on, we are still standing. We have always been committed to value addition part. We deal with metal, foam, wood, plastics, glass among others”.
Engr. Olafumilayo encouraged other stakeholders to key into the projects of the Council to further ensure meaningful developments in the industry.
“It will interest you to know that NADDC has an MoU with Lafbart to produce made in Nigeria Keke. Please help us appreciate this great Council that has always been an outstanding government parastatal”. He stated.
Other participants at the event included the Ondo State Chairman of the Nigeria Auto Technicians Association (NATA), Engr. Moruf Mojeed, Officials from Ondo State Ministry of Transport led by the Director Vehicle Inspection Services, Engr. Adeleye D.A, Students from FUTA and Elizade University, as well as the participating trainees.
The training which also aligns with the Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) implementation strategy underscores Council’s commitment towards modification of the automitive sector of the economy through manpower development and job creation.
