By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammed Haruna says the agency will partner Medium Scale Enterprises in reviving Ginneries in the North West part of the country.
The EVC stated this at the Flag Off of the Five days NASENI Skill Acquisition Training and Youth Empowerment Programme, themed “Modern Method of Tailoring and Fashion Design and Application” held in Daura, Katsina State on Tuesday.
In his opening remarks, the EVC stated that “the training targets to improve the hands-on experience of the tailoring and design professionals in katsina State with advanced training tools such as motorized straight Sewing Machine, computerized embroidery, Weaving Machine, pattern design, steam pressing among many more occupational resources required to undertake all kinds of simple and advanced cloths design and home fabrics to satisfy tastes, customers and attracts patronage”.
According to a statement by Peter T. Ewu Special Assistant on Social Media to the Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Haruna noted that, the missing link that has brought about the trend of outsourcing tailoring and garment making from Senegal, Mauritania, Cotedevour and even the United Arab Emirate is “essentially the application of modern tools, techniques, creativity, and capacity to deploy modern design techniques and use of advanced sewing machines and other working tools for growth and expansion”
He urged the participants to learn from each other and train others and to judiciously and jealously guard the expensive machines to be given to them at the end of this training as their start-up packs.
The EVC also used the opportunity to declare that NASENI “is willing to collaborate with SME’s, Governments and Individuals to revive the collapsed ginneries particularly of Gusau, Funtua, Zaria, Sokoto etc where I had previous experiences of been a service provider of factory and other facility maintenance in these industry’s glory years. The Agency can jointly invest and or have a stake in a profit-sharing format to revive textile manufacturing in this region”.
The Chairman of the Occasion Hon. Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura, Member representing Zabgo/Bauer Federal Constituency, thanked the EVC, Management and Staff of NASENI for honoring the people of Daura with the implementation of the Skill Acquisition Training.
He stated that Youth and Women Empowerment remains a critical component of his manifesto to his constituents and facilitated the training and recruitment of over 500 youths in different vocations and gainful employment in various ministries, agencies and parastatals.
He advised the participants to consider themselves as the lucky few selected to benefit from this programme and to ensure they take advantage of the training for the betterment of their craft, family and society at large.
Governor of Katsina State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, represented by the State Commissioner of Land and Survey, TP Usman Nadada, stated that human capacity development remains a key focus of the current administration towards alleviating the people from poverty. He called on the trainees to maintain the equipment and utilize it for the purpose for which it was given.
The highlight of the event was the official presentation and handover of the Certificate of Occupancy for 20 hectares of Land for NASENI Skill Acquisition Centre in Daura, Katsina State by the Chairman of the Occasion on behalf of his Father, Alhaji, Sani Xangi Daura.