By Solomon Asowata
Lagos – The Sahara Power Group (SPG) says it has trained no fewer than 198 engineers under its Graduate Engineering Programme (GEP) in the last four years.
Its Group Managing Director, Mr Kola Adesina, made the announcement at the induction programme of 38 GEP Trainees on Friday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is being organised by the SPG Generation family-Egbin Power Plc and First Independent Power Limited in collaboration with the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).
Adesina said the trainees were selected out of over 8,500 applicants to participate in the training after a very rigorous process, adding that they were chosen from various fields of engineering profession including electrical, chemical, electronic and mechanical.
He said the current crop of 29 male and nine female graduands had distinguished themselves as the best set of the GEP since the programme started in 2014.
Adesina said : “Over the past 12 months, they have embarked on intensive classroom training and hands-on activities across Power Generation, Operations, Distribution, Transmission, Electricity and Commercial Awareness.
“These rigorous sessions led by seasoned power experts have given our graduates a strategic understanding of the entire value chain of the Nigerian Power Sector.
“I am confident that this foundation will empower our future power experts to disrupt and transform the sector as they progress in their careers. ”
According to him, the GEP has birthed several success stories in the past four years and has produced 198 engineers who are driven by innovation and passion to light up Africa.
“I am confident that the programme will remain a robust platform for developing the next generation of power experts that will ensure Sahara Power Group continues to bring energy to life in Nigeria and Africa.
“Since 2014, Sahara Power Group has recruited over 130 graduate engineers in line with our commitment to empower the youth and develop local capacity in the power sector,” he said.
On his part, the Director General of NAPTIN, Mr Ahmed Nagode, said that the GEP was a a very important and fundamental programme in the career of a professional engineer in the power sector.
“It is a programme that bridges the gap between academic qualification of BSC/HND in Electrical and Mechanical engineering and the skills required to operate on the power networks,” Nagode said.
The director-general said that NAPTIN was committed to filling the manpower gap in the energy sector through its various training programmes and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for upgrading the institute’s facilities to enable it deliver on its mandate.
He said : “I congratulate the graduands for adding another profile to your Curriculum Vitae.
“I urge you to be good Alumni of NAPTIN and ensure that you are better industry players by giving back to Sahara Power the gains of this investment on your competence.”
Mr Joseph Adetubo, who was the best male graduand, thanked Sahara Power Group for the training, saying it further exposed the trainees to the workings of the power sector.
(NAN)
