Road Crashes: ON MONDAY FG trains youths on heavy-duty vehicles repair

In its bid to reduce the recurring road crashes involving heavy-duty vehicles across the country, the Federal Government, through the National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, has completed a two-week training for selected youths.

DAILY POST reports that the youths drawn from the five South Eastern states of Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo and Abia, received the intensive training on mechatronics at Chibueze Motors Nigeria, Akwuke, Enugu.

Speaking while presenting certificates and tool boxes to the graduands, Director-General of NADDC, Jelani Aliyu said that the programme was put together by NADDC, ” in conjunction with stakeholders in the auto industry as an intervention aimed at developing the capabilities of heavy duty auto mechanics, auto electricians and other auto-auxiliary service technicians across the six geopolitical zones.”

According to the DG, represented by Ms Jane Obikwelu, the training was organised as a result of the recent outcry on the rising cases of road traffic crashes involving tankers, trailers, and other heavy duty vehicles with reciprocal losses in human lives and property across the country.

He said that it was the Council’s contribution towards nipping in the bud the incessant crashes as a result of inability of the technicians to cope with the repair of modern vehicles with electronically controlled systems.

“It is important for everyone, especially the graduating trainees to know that technology in the auto sector advances continually and at a very fast pace. Most heavy duty vehicles today are built with a lot of electronically controlled systems. The only way to meet up with this advancement is through training and retraining,” he added.

In a remark, the Managing Director of Chibueze Motors, Engr. Chibueze Okoro, urged the graduands to make use of their acquired knowledge.

Okoro also urged them to spread the knowledge so that other technicians would tap from the knowledge as well.

“Go to your various workshops to step down the knowledge you have gathered here,” he advised them.

Some of the graduands, who spoke on their experiences, said that they learnt a lot that would help them in their trade.

Possible Ekezie Ike from Abia state said that he was now better equipped, having garnered new knowledge and at the same time got modern tools that would help in the industry.

“I am very grateful. I learnt a lot from the training. Though I have been in the business for many years, the training has opened my eyes to the modern way of repairing vehicles,” he said.

On his part, Moses Mbeke from Ebonyi state expressed gratitude to the Federal Government who through NADDC made it possible for them to undergo the training.

“My heart is glad that we have acquired new knowledge. I thank NADDC for organising the programme. May God bless them. I can now handle any heavy duty vehicle they bring to me especially on the electrical aspect,” he said.