. . . training will have enormous impact on economy, set to create over 500,000 jobs – Dr Opaluwah
. . . as NIOB commends FG for collaborating with institutional stakeholders to address challenges
Participants at the training in Abuja, on Monday
In conjunction with N-Power, the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, CORBON, on Monday kick started the training of one hundred Master Trainers in the ongoing Train the Trainers Skills Acquisition Programme for Construction Artisans in Nigeria at the end of which Master Trainers will be delegated to thirty-six states of the federation to train other trainers who will in turn transfer skills to construction artisans.
The skills acquisition chain is designed as a gradient which begins from the Federal Government. It is expected to trickle down to the 36 states of the federation and 774 Local Governments Areas of the country, at the end of which no less than five hundred thousand artisans will be fully trained and empowered.
Chairman of CORBON, Bldr. Prof Kabir Bala who was represented by the Council’s Vice Chairman, Bldr Dr. Samson Opaluwah said: “The training of master trainers includes going to the states and zones across the federation to train other trainers who will in turn train construction industry artisans for the country.”
He described the effort as “a major problem solver because the artisanship level of the construction industry in this country is being taken over by foreigners while citizen youth remain unemployed.”
“CORBON/N-Power initiative will equip the Nigerian youth with the skills to win jobs and execute them competently and professionally in a competitive economy.”
According to the chairman, “no economy can be sustainable without home grown inputs and management specialists,” adding that any nation which depends on foreign expertise will be disappointed because foreigners will migrate to locations of greener pastures as soon as they get better offers, but citizens are likely to have a residual interest that will make them stay in their country.
“So it is best to train in-country man power, and that what we are doing, and we commend the federal government for the effort,” he added.
Discussing the impact which the training will have on the economy, the Chairman said: “Nigerians will be trained at the tactical level, meaning the artisanship level of construction industry, and they will be jointly certified by CORBON and the Nigerian Institute of Building so that they will be competent to deliver world class services in the construction industry especially in building and the allied industries.
“The training is also remarkable for the huge jobs it will create across the federation and it aims to restore the dignity of man in working with his axe.
Chairman, College of Fellows, Nigerian Institute of Building, Bldr Mrs Adebolanle Araba commended government for identifying with professional institutions to solve challenges of the sector.
“Builders engage artisans and craftsmen to execute building construction process and we are happy that artisans will be equipped to do the job,” she said adding that the initiative which aims to regulate the practice of artisans on site will do much to develop the industry.
President of the Nigerian Institute of Building, Bldr Kenneth Nduka said the institute is aware of problems associated with delivery of buildings in the country adding that the CORBON/N-Power initiative has done well to embrace institutional stakeholders who are working to solve the problem.
Underscoring the importance of the training project for construction industry artisans, Nduka made the point that “it is the hands of craftsmen and artisans that execute the professional concepts and instructions handed down by the well-schooled professional builders,” stressing that artisans have very crucial role to play in the development of the building construction sector.
The Project Manager of the initiative, Dr Joshua Olorunkiya disclosed that tools have already been procured for prospective beneficiary artisans; he however warned that only trainees that successfully complete the programme would be certified by CORBON and the NIOB.
Olorunkiya who assured that incidences of building collapse will cease when duly certified artisans are engaged described the move as as a key response to the quest for jobs creation and professionalism in the country’s building construction industry.
The TRUTH reports that the trainees are expected to be licensed and certified in twelve months. Although the training of resource fellows have commenced, the Presidency is expected to announce the official kickoff date of the nationwide programme.
