Lottery Trust Fund Plans Training On Solar Assembly For Artisans In Rural Areas 

The National Lottery Trust Fund is planning a training in solar assemblage for artisans with skills in hair dressing, vulcanizing, welding, and others in the rural areas to power their businesses.

Executive Secretary Tosin Adeyanju disclosed at a meeting with Bayo Adelabu, the power minister, during which he sought the partnership with the ministry.

Adeyanju said the agency is working to get the youths, particularly to be productive  by training them on how to assemble One Kilowatt of solar energy to complement power supply.

“We have come to you to seek partnership with you on how we can train our rural people, particularly the youths, on how they can assemble one kilowatt of solar energy. This will help in addressing youth restiveness by creating employment for them, particularly those who have acquired skills such as hair dressing, vulcanizing, welding and so on like that.

“This is part of our effort to help President Tinubu to achieve his aim of addressing the challenges of unemployment among the rural people and the youths in general. We want to carry this out in all the local government areas of the country and since we have seen your commitment in this area of power supply, we have decided to approach your ministry for partnership to achieve this”, Adeyanju said.

Adelabu expressed the readiness of the ministry and its relevant agencies to collaborate and work with the Trust Fund, promising a reduction in the cost of electricity as efforts are made to step up generation and distribution of power in the country.

He said the renewable power project of the ministry was established to address the areas of the country, like the rural areas that the grid does not cover.

“We will be very happy to work and partner with you on this project. We have agencies that are driving this renewable power project, using solar, wind and other alternative sources of power supply where the grid cannot reach. Such agency is our Rural Electricity Agency (REA) and they will be of great value to you in this project.

He said the world today is faced with two basic issues of food and energy securities, noting the cost of gas is going up globally, partly to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

He However said the government must provide electricity to the rural people, particularly the youths, so they can practice their vocations.

“We can see that even those of them who have learnt skills have abandoned those skills and are now riding okada for quick money” but noted, President Tinubu is concerned about the transformation of Nigeria, its youths and rural development, urging them to be patient to realise as the government means well for them.

“We are happy with this effort and will be very willing to work and collaborate with you to achieve it”, the Minister said.