The Governor of Osun State, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, on Thursday, disclosed that the State through the Osun Investment Company Limited, OSICOL, has invested much resources in putting up mechatronics in Esa-Oke, for skill acquisition and training in new technology on automobile.
He added that the centre had trained over 200 mechanical personnel since its inception, describing the initiative as another avenue for potential youth engagement in plant and machineries mechanics.
Speaking at the inauguration of the national body of the Plant and Machineries Mechanics Association of Nigeria, PAMMAN, at Osogbo City Stadium, Oyetola also called on the association to encourage its members to take advantage of the centre to acquire more training on new/hybrid plants and equipment.
Oyetola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Works and Transport, Engr. Hussein Olatoke Olaniyan, lauded the association for coming together under one umbrella, adding that the initiative will among several other benefits enhance effective and efficient service delivery, enhance camaraderie and help to eliminate the bad eggs among plants and machineries mechanics.
“I beleve this association will enhance the status of plant and Machinery maintenance culture in Nigeria, both in public and private sectors. Both will provide adequate and prompt maintenance and repair geared towards achieving effective operations through an enhanced total capacity utilization of equipment, tools, machineries or plants.
“It is the desire of every human being to live or use any structure such at building, tool, equipment or machine comfortably withour fears of failure or uncertainty about its reliability. Unfortunately, what we are having in Nigeria is a lack of competent hands, lean skills, insincerity, lack of appropriate tools and unavailability of spare parts. These challenges are causing lot of damages to our machines and consequently causing personal and institutional discomfort.
“I hope that the coming of PAMMAN will address a lot of these challenges being faced in maintenance and repair of plant and equipment”, Oyetola said.
Oyetola further advised that the Association brands its operations in ways that arouse the interest of the country’s teeming youth population.
He continued: “Your association will have to sensitize Nigerians on the importance of good maintenance culture of plants and equipment through campaign and quality service. PAMMAN has to show it to the whole world again that Nigerians are talented, skilled, knowledgeable and hard-working people.
“As the nation embraces functional education and entrepreneurship as a way of navigating out of unemployment net, PAMMAN should rebrand the profession such that more youths will be encouraged to join the profession.
“In the area of skill acquisition and training, Osun Government, through OSICOL, has invested a lot of resources in putting up MECHATRONICS in Esa-Oke, a centre that has trained over 200 Mechanical personnel since inception in the area of new technology on Automobile (Diesel and Petrol engine).
“I call on your association to encourage your members to acquire more training on new/hybrid plants and equipment”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the President of the South-West and North Central zones of the Association, Ayoade Olufemi, lauded the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for its people-friendly policies and programmes.
He called on government to extend its loving hands to PAMMAN as it is the case with other established associations and people groups, adding that the association will continue to support the good initiatives of the government.