By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

The federal government has concluded the training of young engineers on automotive design skills as part of its policy of lifting 100 million Nigerians out from poverty.

The two-week training organised by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) for the South South geopolitical zone was held at the University of Port Harcourt for young engineers in the zone.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the boot-camp at the University of Port Harcourt, the Director General of NADDC, Mr Jelani Aliyu, said the Midas NFX Software Automotive Design Skills boot-camp carried out by organization in collaboration with Midas IT Company of South Korea, was the sixth across the country.

Aliyu, who represented by the Deputy Director, Research Design and Development, NADDC, Engr Abdullahi Ayinde, urged the beneficiaries to put the skills they have learnt into use and go on to become the best automotive designers in the world.

He said: “Practice, work very hard and interact beyond this place. The DG has been particularly interested in youth development, this is the sixth series of this training across the country .

“With the right attitude and hard work, you can be the best in the world. Pay attention to what you’re doing and work hard.”

Also speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Georgewill Owunari,
commended NADDC for choosing the Uniport as a centre.

Owunari, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Professor Clifford Ofurum, said: “The university is very grateful for choosing us as a centre, we don’t take it for granted.

“It will not make any sense if you don’t put the knowledge you have acquired here into use.

“On the setting up of Automotive Design Programme in our post graduate school, we will play our part to see it to fruition, we look forward for more collaboration with you in the future.”

Earlier, the trainer and Chief Executive Officer of Fazsal Nigeria Limited, Engr. Abdullawal Zubair, urged the young engineers to develop a career in automotive designs.

Zubair said: “After this training we want you to go into automotive design. We want you to produce cars that are 100percent made in Nigeria.”

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries for the South South, Engr. Uduak Akpan, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, the NADDC and the University of Port Harcourt for the training and appealed for internship placements to enable them master the skills they have learnt.

Akpan also appealed that the software should be domesticated at the University of Port Harcourt.

He said: “We are very grateful for this opportunity and we are assure you that we will not let you down, but like Oliver Twist, we are asking for more . We assure you that in the future, the sky is our starting point.”

Also, the Dean, Faculty of Engineering Professor Roland Uhumwangho, commended the beneficiaries for their good conduct during the training and urged them to make good use of the skills they have learnt.

Uhumwangho said: “We thank you for choosing the University of Port Harcourt for the South South region. You have told us that if we are able to set up Automotive Engineering in our masters programme that you will do many things for us.”