L-R, Mrs. Foluke Fatunde, Dean (COLENG), Prof. Sam Adejuyigbe, DVC (D), Prof. Felix Salako and Prof. E.J Bala during the Opening Ceremony of the 5-day Training Workshop.
The Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Professor Abubakar Sambo, has observed that the training of youths in renewable energy resources is essential for the nation’s economic empowerment, self employment and rural development.
Professor Sambo, who was represented by Professor E.J Bala stated this at the joint ECN and National Youth Service Corps’ Renewable Energy Training Workshop, held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, last Monday.
Elaborating on the rationale behind the training programme, Professor Sambo said it was aimed at providing young men and women in the country with the requisite knowledge on renewable energy as impetus for self-employment.
Professor Sambo described renewable energy resources as “those amenities that when they are consumed, their rates of regeneration through natural processes ensure that what is consumed is generated back within a relatively short time”.
He added that renewable energy resources are not delectable and available in the semi-urban and rural areas, where over 70 per cent of the nation’s population live and access modern energy at very low cost and minimal negative climate change. He highlighted the sources of renewable energy to include solar energy, wind, hydro-power, bio-mass, among others, adding that the energy sources, when exploited and utilized do not result into adverse environmental effects, when compared with the effects caused by exploitation and consumption of fossil-type of energy sources.
The Director-General pointed out that renewable energy training programme had been a collaborative effort between the ECN and NYSC, since 1999, commending the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, for his generosity of allowing the programme to be held in the University, with the provision of necessary facilities.
Earlier in his speech, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Professor Felix Salako, noted that renewable energy is not only relevant to Nigeria for safeguarding energy security but also pertinent for the mitigation of negative climate change.
He, therefore, called on youth corps members, selected for the training to take advantage of the programme to develop themselves and help create a safer and healthy environment.