The Senate Committee on Local Content has inaugurated a Technical Working Group to secure local content workforce for the Mambilla Hydro-Electric Power Project with the National Youth Service Corps among stakeholders appointed on to the committee.
The inauguration took place today at the National Assembly Complex, and was attended by members of the Senate Committee and Chief Executives of relevant Government Agencies, including the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Teslim Folarin, who presided over the ceremony, noted that the 3050 Megawatts Mambilla Hydro-Power Project had long been on the drawing board when the Federal Government and Chinese contractors signed N2.1 trillion (about $5.792 billion) contract deal in Abuja to execute it.
He further recalled that the Federal Executive Council, FEC had in August 2017 approved $5.792 billion, the equivalence of about N1.40
trillion, for the project at Gembu in Taraba.
“The project is structured to ensure that as part of the agreement, Nigeria Takes ownership of the Local Content capacity Building and Human Resources needed for the entire project.
“The Senate Committee on Local Content, as an important Stakeholder in this project has the oversight duty to ensure the strategic coordination to the 30% Local Content Capacity Building,” he said.
Senator Folarin enumerated the terms of reference of the Technical Working Group, among which are to ensure that the local content requirements of the project are met and ensuring that the entire Human Capital Development process is well coordinated and robustly established to provide all the relevant human resource needs in the various aspects of the project.
It is also mandated to identify for Nigerians, private sector investment opportunities related to the project, and which can be stimulated by its implementation, ensure that the required and qualified human resources for the project are sourced locally and well trained to meet its specific requirements as well as ensure proper training and certification of the workforce to meet the international standard required for the 3050MW Mambilla Hydro-Electric Power Project.
He congratulated all members of the working group on their appointment, and urged them to perform their duties diligently in the best interest of Nigeria. The committee has six weeks within which to submit its first report.
Explaining the expected role of each stakeholder on the committee, the Consultant to the Senate Committee on Local Content, Mohammed Mustapha, said the choice the National Youth Service Corps was informed by its presence in all nooks and crannies of the country.
He said the abundant skills of Corps Members would be harnessed for the effective implementation of various aspects of the projects.
Responding on behalf of the Committee members, the Chairman, Mr. Ahmed Bolaji Nagode thanked the Senate for giving the opportunity to serve noting that their mandate was crucial to successful execution of the Hydro-Power Project and the opportunities the process would bring for Nigerians.
Nagode, who is the Director-General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, assured that members would work to meet the expectations of the Senate.
A Deputy Director, Mr. Baba Ladan, is representing NYSC on the Committee.
