Former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, and Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, have called on NASENI and the Local Content Board to establish a functional institute in Bayelsa for quality training in the oil and gas as well as other critical areas.

The two leaders, who made the call at the opening ceremony of the training programme holding at the Federal University, Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area, stressed that vocational skills training was the way to go for Nigeria to meet its industrial development target.

Speaking as special guest at the event, Dr. Jonathan commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving his approval for the training exercise which draws participants from all the three senatorial districts in the state.

He, however, sounded a note of warning that the objective of NASENI would be defeated if trainees sell off their working materials procured for them.

Also,  Governor Diri urged governments at all levels to strive to build a massive pool of highly skilled manpower to drive the nation’s industrial development.

Governor Diri who spoke at the event through his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, noted that his administration had so far, trained thousands of youths through its skills acquisition and training programme in the state.

The Bayelsa helmsman, who called on the beneficiaries to take the training seriously, tasked NASENI to follow up and track the beneficiaries to ensure that the starter packs that would be given out did not end in markets.

He commended NASENI for organising the four-day specialized youth training and empowerment programme in the state and advised the agency to partner Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on capacity-building programmes for youths.