A new lease of life for Nigerian mechanics
“I’m not happy with myself at all. I have been doing this job for over 25years and I couldn’t get enough to change my life for the better. I cannot send my children to choice schools. I could not live in a good house. We still leave from hand to mouth. If I have my […]
“I’m not happy with myself at all. I have been doing this job for over 25years and I couldn’t get enough to change my life for the better. I cannot send my children to choice schools. I could not live in a good house. We still leave from hand to mouth. If I have my way I will switch to something else but how can I do that now at my age and increasing responsibility?”
Wasiu is not the only one caught in the web of the changing fortunes of auto-tech profession in the country. Some of his colleagues, who have age advantage and financial help from families have switched to other jobs like commercial motorcycling, trading and others.
The major problem of the job is lack of tools and equipment for these technicians to effectively do their jobs. The revolution in the global auto industry which brongs changes in the manufacturing of automobiles renders somebody like Wasiu, who was trained with simple and old tools, grappling for survival.
Today, Wasiu and other distraught colleagues could still have the hope of reaping from their hard labour following the N1billion loan the Federal government recently granted auto-technicians in the country.
The scheme is aimed at providing loanable funds for automotive technicians for the acquisition of modern equipments/tools through micro finance banks at single-digit interest rate.
Director-General of the National Automotive Council, Engineer Aminu Jalal, explained that mechanics in the country are expected to form cooperative societies to access the funds.
Speaking at the official launch of the auto technicians support scheme in Lagos recently, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom said the scheme is a good opportunity for Nigerian auto technicians to acquire basic equipment and tools for the repairs of the new generation vehicles in the country, thereby increasing their productivity, efficiency quality of their work and therefore wrote gains.
According to him, the employment benefits of the scheme cannot be under stated, adding that it is in line with the present government’s emphasis on job creation.
He urged the auto-technicians to take advantage of the scheme, while micro finance banks should ensure timely disbursement of the funds to the mechanics.
Director –General of the National Automotive Council, who spoke at the launch, said the managed fund agreement with the Bank of Industry has already been amended to accommodate the scheme.
He said the sum of N1billion was approved by the Council’s governing board as take-off grant, just as he said the micro finance banks that applied to participate in the scheme were first cleared by the Central Bank of Nigeria and later evaluated by the Council.
He said some of the microfinance banks have accessed the funds and have commenced the procurement of equipment for eligible mechanics.
He said the Council has also ventured into upgrading of mechanics knowledge and skills.
He explained that the inability of the nation’s mechanics to understand and repair new generation vehicles prompted the Council to commission a study on mechanic’s skills-gap analysis.
According to him, the findings show that 80percent of the skill deficiencies of the Nigerian auto-technicians hinges on the electrical/electronic systems of these modern vehicles.
He said twenty percent is due to incorrect work methods, safety and environment as well as poor workshop management and organizational ability.
He said the findings also prompted the Council to design, in partnership with other stakeholders an automotive mechanics curriculum, which will lead to the award of Trade Test 111,11 and 1 certificates in automotive mechatronics.
“The Council also went a step further and developed instructional manuals for the delivery of the curriculum. These instruction manuals are now ready and the training programme will soon commence when we finish our discussions with the proposed training centers. This training programme will equip our mechanics to have a deeper understanding of the new vehicle technology and give them the skill needed to repair them, thereby saving them their jobs as the vehicles they are able to repair currently are dwindling in number’’.
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Industry said with the loan scheme, the era of requisite skill maintenance and repairs of the new generation vehicle is here.
According to him, the scheme will promote employability of Nigerian mechanics who hitherto were in their way out of job for lack of working tools and competence in modern skills required to repair vehicular fleet in the country.
Speaking at the launch, Managing Director of Bank of Industry, Mrs Evelyn Oputu said the scheme marks another milestone in the continuing efforts of the Federal government to develop the nation’s automobile industry.
She said hitherto, support to the industry had focused on vehicles assemblers and auto-component parts manufacturers.
She implored the participating micro finance banks to safeguard the funds and make effective use of them. She also urged the beneficiaries of the facilities to use them wisely.
Representative of the participating micro finance banks, Kashim Olarenwaju, who also spoke at the launch, said the scheme will among other things reduce the number of unserviceable vehicles as well as level of poverty and raise economic power of mechanics nationwide.
He said the funds will achieve the set objective faster and better if it is treated as development fund and not loan.
According to him, the requirements to access the loan are very stringent and expensive, adding that this should be critically reviewed to ensure that it translates to success.
He said “in ensuring the continuation of the programme, prompt and adequate repayments by the beneficiaries are key success factors, prompt repayment of the facility will facilitate depth, width, spread and duration of the scheme.
‘’Majority of the issues still militating against full and quick implementation of the programme have been discussed with the relevant officials at various levels and institutions. Indeed, the programme on completion will in no small measure enhance the Federal government drive in the transformation agenda and a great departure from the era of abandoned vehicles on our streets and in worshops’’.
It is hoped that some of the challenges the scheme will be tackled with a view to creating a new lease of life for mechanics and job opportunities in the country.