LAGOS, Nigeria – As part of efforts geared towards developing human capital in the West African power sector, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), has commenced training of 80 electricity workers from the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) on power generation, distribution and transmission.
The four-week program organized by the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and funded by the Africa Development Bank (AFDB) was aimed at promoting West African Countries’ integration on power sector training and experience sharing among West African countries.
Speaking at the launch of the program in Lagos last Thursday, the institute’s acting Director-General, Mr. Ahmed Nagode, said WAPP came together to help grow and improve the technical skills of LEC personnel, adding that the trainees would in turn use this acquired knowledge to resolve their nation’s power challenges.
Nagode said: “Leveraging on the strength of one another through proper synergy has proven to be a catalyst for growth and development. World-class companies and institutions have at one time or another sought partnership with each other to grow. WAPP has worked for many years with training providers to establish programs that put in place necessary instruments for the skilled manpower needed in the power utilities of its member countries.”
He said the course was designed in groups and that the participants would be trained in Lagos and at Kainji Dam in Niger State, stressing that specifically, the objective of the training was to improve their capacity on electricity generation, customers care, basic power system protections, distribution and transmission network.
Nagode added: “The training will also increase their capacity in effective power supply and revenue collection. The second WAPP program training scholarship for LEC staff was funded by AFDB with about 130,000 dollars focused on value creation themed in discussing practical examples, various approaches and potentials.”
However, the Director, Administration and Finance, WAPP, Mr Babab Jarjusey, said the vision of the association was to integrate the national power systems into a unified regional electricity market with the ultimate goal of providing in the medium and long term.
Jarjusey, further explained that the association’s “vision also dwell on a regular and reliable energy at competitive cost to the citizenry of the ECOWAS region. Our mission is to promote and develop power generation and transmission infrastructures as well as coordination of power exchange among the ECOWAS member states.
Lending his voice, Coordinator, Capacity Building Program, Mr. Mamadun Alpha-Sylla, commended NAPTIN for the bold steps taken in ensuring adequate training of LEC staff through the collaboration of WAPP, and urged the trainees to remain focused to achieve desired goals.
Source: THISDAY
