The Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime has charged the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and scientists across the country to take up the challenge of ensuring that the nation fully exploited the opportunities offered by renewable energy to improve her economy and promote avenues for self employment and economic empowerment of youths in the country.

He gave the charge last Tuesday at the opening ceremony of a 5 – Day Training Workshop on Rural Renewable Energy for National Youth Corps members at the Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI) Enugu, Enugu State.

Governor Chime noted with dismay that the absence of appropriate technologies to convert energy resources derivable from solar, wind and biomass from animal and crop wastes into their useful forms was robbing Nigerians especially the poor of their inherent  benefits.

According to him, the training programme added value to the NYSC scheme as it also introduces youth Corpers to renewable energy and its technologies with a view to  developing businesses in the area for self employment and economic empowerment.

Chime who was represented by his Deputy Sunday Onyebuchi said such programmes would enhance awareness on renewable energy as an instrument of increasing energy access in the rural areas with lower negative environmental consequences, and bridge the gap between energy resources and energy needs of the rural communities.

He, however, expressed delight that Enugu State is fortunate to be chosen amongst other contesting states for this training programme as a large proportion of the people live in rural communities, where modern infrastructural facilities are yet to reach them.

Also speaking, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) Professor Abubakar S. Sambo, represented by the Director Renewable Energy Commission of Nigeria, Professor Eli Jidene Bala, listed the major objectives of the project to include, getting renewable energy and its technologies adopted as a business, by young men and women in the country thereby serving as an instrument for self employment and economic empowerment.

Professor Abubakar Sambo stated that one of the strategies employed to achieve the objectives of the project was engagement of NYSC members since their empowerment with the knowledge and skills of renewable energy and its technologies such as biogas plants, solar lighting systems and improved woodstoves would expose them to avenues for self employment and economic empowerment

In their separate speeches, the Director General Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Nnamdi Okorie Affia, speaking through the State Coordinator of NYSC Enugu, Elder Joshua Olowookere and the State Coordinator, Enugu State National Directorate of Employment, Barr Nnamdi Asomugha, explained that the training was to equip the corpers with skills that can assist them towards self employment and economic empowerment.

According to them, it would also help the corpers  to disseminating these technologies at their places of primary assignment, to the benefit of their host communities for sustainable national development.

In his opening remarks, the Director/Chief Executive of Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI), Enugu, Professor Christian O. Nwajagu, stressed that SEDI was one of the centres of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) aimed at developing products and technologies released to scientific equipment and other items including machines and conceding same to private sectors for local mass production and commercialisation.

Professor Nwajagu who was represented by Mr. Emmanuel Onwubuya noted that renewable energy was available in most rural communities adding  that when exploited and utilised would not result into significant green-house gas emissions (GHG) which is the major cause of global warning and its effects.