Metering: MOMAS to complement FG's effort, sets to train unemployed youths

In taking our teeming youths out of the street and building sustainable human capacity development, MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company, MEMMCOL, has offered to train over 300 unemployed youths on effective electricity  metering programme scheme to complement Federal Government's effort on massive roll out of metering into the power sector.

Engr. Kola Balogun, the Chairman, MEMMCOL during an interactive session with journalists at the weekend in Lagos on the idea behind the initiative, he said the idea was to extend the company's Corporate Social Responsibility to some States ofbthe country to develop manpower capability among unemployed youths in Nigeria. 

Balogun said that this will enable unemployed youths to benefit from the other value addition of the Federal Government initiative to role out some meters to consumers. 

He said that, beside the facts that the initiative will enhanced manufacturing  sector of the power sector,  the meter factories. The extension is to develop manpower skills to be able to install the meter.

He said that the free metering installation programme traning for unemployed youths is selected from the six Geo-Political zone of the country, which the first phase will take two weeks with offer to give certificate to all trained youths. 

According to Balogun, in view of the recent efforts and commitment of the federal government at ensuring that Nigerians are metered which culminated into an intervention by way of a Presidential approval of three million electricity meters to be deployed to accelerate revenue generation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NASI) as well as eradicate estimated billings to customers.

"MOMAS as a key stakeholder in the downstream of the power sector, we see the initiative as viable way to create employment opportunities for our youths and timing is unprecedented given the fact that one of the complaints by the aggrieved youths doing the recent #EndSARS# protest is unemployment. 

"MOMAS also identified that there is urgent need to train more Nigeria on electricity meter installation to compliments the Presidential directive," he said.

Balogun said: "This is our own way of contributing our quota at ensuring that the initiative is successful. We have decided to train selected number of graduates across all the six Geo-political zones in the country on metering technology  through our MOMAS metering school for free.

"In addition to the training, we shall provide the trainees with kits, this will contain all the relevant tools for electricity meter installation, considering quantity of the approved metres. 

"There will be enough jobs for the youths to do and we would also engage them in the execution of some of our projects, "MOMAS boss added.

Our Energy Correspondent, National reports that the MOMAS helmsman, said the there is need for government to consider manpower skills in the installation of the meters as this will also go a long way to develop the youth and create job opportunities for them.

He, however, lauded government for encouraging local capacity and local content development in Nigeria,  adding that also informed MOMAS to take it upon themselves to  develop manpower capability among unemployed youths.

"MOMAS is offering the training for free of charge without paying a dime. While subsequent phase will tract payment.

"This is just to encourage the youths and also showcase the opportunity that is available.

Balogun, urged State Government and other legislators to support the initiative in building local capacity and manpower skills among youths than spending money on irrelevant projects. 

He urged other State government to inculcate this in their budget geared towards developing human skills capacity the initiative. 

Balogun said that over 15 State Governors had indicated interest to send youths to MOMAS factory to benefit from the  company's free gesture to train all selected dedicated individuals from their States to promote manpower skilla in the country.

He said that the training will commence at the MOMAS  Metering School Campus located at the Momas Factory, Orimerunmu, Mowe Ogun State on Monday, November 16.

It would  be recalled that the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) has commenced distribution of free electricity meters to Nigerians with simultaneous launch events of the scheme in Kano, Kaduna, Eko and Ikeja DISCO franchise areas.

The programme was initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure mass metering with the hope of putting an end to the problem of estimated billing in the electricity sector.

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