The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has expressed his commitment to setting up modern automobile marts and mechanic villages in the state.
Fayemi who spoke when national officials of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association paid him a courtesy visit at the Governor’s office, Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, said the decision of his government was informed by the need to ensure that automobile technicians in Ekiti State meet the changing patterns of modern technology in the auto world.
The governor told the delegation of seven officials that met him in his office: “Today, one of the things lacking is the quality of artisanship. We need to address this problem. We are determined to improve the skill of automobile technicians given the changing pattern of technology in the world today.”
He said the state government will set up mechanic villages and auto marts as a practical step towards dealing with the challenge.
He said his government has already established a training institute for artisans and that 250 beneficiaries have been enrolled in the school.
Added to the initiative, the governor said, is the establishment of a Life Academy.
He said the country needed to move away from the “paper syndrome” so as to tap the potentials of not-so-lettered but skilled labour.
Fayemi said he is committed to working with automobile technicians and artisans in the state, adding that they form an important bulwark of his administration.
He said apart from their special skill, automobile technicians have been identified as a key partner in the detection and prevention of auto-related crimes.
In his remark, the National Secretary General of NATA, David Ajetunmobi, said the governor’s rich background in the campaign against military rule and his long standing partnership with NATA predated his emergence as the governor of Ekiti State.
He said his visit to the state was partly to encourage Ekiiti State to tap from the funds being provided by the National Automobile Council in partnership with NATA.
He said: “Our organisation is the biggest in the informal sector with about three million members across the country.
“We want to see how state governments can partner with NATA to tap from the NAC fund.
“This will be of tremendous benefit to our members who are anxious to improve their skill and meet international standards.”
He said last year alone, N1 billion was released to NATA to procure automobile tools.
The fund is being managed by micro-finance banks, he stated.
He said his group has embarked on Social Security Fund to meet its members’ needs at retirement ages or in case of accident in the course of their duty.
He said setting up the mechanic villages will help NATA to “organise our members better. It will help in physical and urban planning at the same time it will help in crime prevention.”
He said NATA in Ekiti State would like to replicate the “NATA/Police Crime Prevention Committee which continues to play a very important role in preventing crime in Lagos State.”
Other officials at the meeting were the NATA National Vice-Chairman, Alhaji lawal Obisesan; NATA Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dele Odewale; the NATA Chairman in Ekiti State, Mr. Olatehinde Olubodun; and the National Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Suberu Oyekanmi.