Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, has urged the Energy Commission of Nigeria to develop a training programme for rural women and youths on the maintenance of solar systems applications.

Uduaghan made the call,  in Asaba, while opening a three-day National workshop with the theme: “The Role of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Achieving Sustainable Development in Nigeria.’’

It was organised by the commission in collaboration with the Delta Government for farmers, women and youths in the state.

“In using some of these renewable energies such as solar we will have maintenance challenges but we do not need a degree holder to maintain a solar system.

“Our rural women can maintain them if they are trained and this will become a money earning process for them”, Uduaghan said.

He said that the objective of the workshop would be lost if the participants left without adequate knowledge of what they were required to do.

The governor said that it was not enough to expose the rural women, youths and farmers to the application, but must be taught how to maintain them.

He urged the participants to make the best use of the opportunity the workshop provided.

The governor said that the government was studying ways on how to fully tap the various sources of renewable energies for the development of the state.

In his remarks,  the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof Okon Bassey-Ewa, said it was laudable to take the campaign for climate change to the grassroots.

Represented by Mrs Uchenna Chukwu, the Manager of Incubation Technology Centre, Nnewi, Anambra, the minister urged Nigerians to utilise available energies efficiently while other renewable energy sources were being pursued.,

“This will undoubtedly strengthen our resolve to tackle the energy crisis in this country and reduce the impact of climate change. If we use what we currently have efficiently we can channel the saved energy for other uses.

“By deploying some renewable energy devices, we could achieve more access to safer, cheaper and abundant renewable energy that will not only supply our energy needs but further safeguard our environment,” he said.