The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) has commenced training of 300 engineers of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) under the international collaboration with the Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA).
The first batch of 106 began a two-week training in Lagos with the six geo-political zones of the TCN regional workers represented.
Ahmed Nagode, the Acting Director General of NAPTIN, urged the trainees to make best use of the opportunity by ensuring that they achieved the objectives of the training.
Nagode said the training would make the participants better industry players and also guarantee their safety at work.
He commended the participants for their understanding and readiness to learn.
According to him, under the collaboration NAPTIN would train 545 staff of power utilities in Nigeria and Ghana with TCN constituting 300 and Distribution Companies, 203, while VRA/Gridco Ghana will have 42.
“We are privileged to be the only APUA centre of excellence in the whole of English speaking West Africa.
“This feat was achieved because NAPTIN met the requirements of APUA for admission into the African Network of Centre of Excellence in Electricity culminating in an MOU with APUA whose dividend we are witnessing today,’’ he said.
Nagode said the initiative would lead to enhancement of the capacity and competence of the manpower of the utilities and improvement in service delivery.
He said that the initiative would also serve as a means of generating foreign exchange for the country.
He said the training programme would be in batches, in order not to unsettle the smooth and scheduled operations of the utilities.
“The first batch of 106, which we have started this week, is of two trades, namely Transformer and Switch Gears Maintenance, with 60 trainees and this is taking place here in Lagos,’’ Nagode said.
He added that “the Power System Protection training of 46 staff is holding simultaneously in our Kainji Regional Training Centre, New Bussa, Niger State.’’
Nagode acknowledged the Managing Director of TCN, Usman Mohammed, for his invaluable support and belief in NAPTIN.
