The Member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement, Rep. Unyime Idem, Ph.D., has empowered 100 young constituents with solar technical toolboxes and cash grants of ₦210,000 each to enable them to commence businesses as certified solar system technicians.
The empowerment followed the successful completion of a one-month intensive solar systems installation and maintenance training programme sponsored by the lawmaker for the beneficiaries.
The training, which was all-expense-paid by the federal lawmaker, including accommodation and feeding for the entire period of the exercise, featured both theoretical and practical sessions, as well as internship placements at solar system installation and maintenance training centres, where the beneficiaries gained hands-on experience in the installation, maintenance and servicing of solar power systems.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Idem charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the knowledge, technical tools and financial support provided to them, stressing that the objective of the initiative was to equip them with the skills and resources required to become economically self-reliant.
He urged them not to limit the impact of the training to themselves, but to use the knowledge acquired to train and mentor others, thereby creating a multiplier effect and expanding opportunities for young people within the constituency.
The lawmaker further disclosed that he would periodically visit the beneficiaries at their workplaces to monitor their progress and assess how effectively they were utilising the skills, toolboxes and cash grants provided to them.
He said such monitoring would also enable him to identify challenges confronting the beneficiaries and determine how the programme could be further strengthened to deliver sustainable impact.
The beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the lawmaker for the opportunity to acquire specialised skills, as well as for the technical toolboxes and financial support, which they described as valuable resources for starting their businesses.
They pledged to put the training and materials received to productive use and to justify the confidence reposed in them.
The initiative, according to Idem, is part of his broader commitment to youth empowerment and human capital development in Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency.
He emphasised the importance of equipping young people with practical and marketable skills in an increasingly skill-driven economy, noting that sustainable empowerment should go beyond financial assistance to include knowledge, tools and opportunities that enable beneficiaries to build independent livelihoods.
The programme is expected to contribute to the development of a pool of skilled solar technicians in the constituency while creating opportunities for self-employment and further skills transfer among young people.
