‘FG Saves N5bn Training Ex-militants at Innoson Auto Plant’

The on-going training of ex-militants of the Niger Delta at the auto assembly plant of the Innoson Group will save the federal government about N5 billion, Brig-Gen. Paul Boro, coordinator of the Amnesty programme has said.

The ex-militants at the plant are being trained on various aspects of vehicle assembly and repairs, as well as on the manufacturing of vehicle components from plastics.

“The federal government would save N5 billion at the end of the year when 7,000 delegates (ex-militants) would be completing their programme. I have been to the two places where they are being trained, and I think it is perhaps time now to have such thing like this replicated in the Niger Delta,” Boro said when he went on an assessment visit to his wards at the Innoson Plant in Nnewi, Anambra State, recently.

According to Boro, “I actually said I want to see them engage in what I sent them to come and learn here. “This is great skill acquisition that has to do with automobile engineering, automobile mechanic, automobile electronic and others, and when I was taken round the factory, I saw them actually assembling a vehicle, ensuring that the parts are well joined together; the welding is also well done to meet specifications. I saw them using gauge to measure the length and breadth of the window. I think I am satisfied with what they are learning here.”

On how he decided to send the trainees to Innoson, Boro said, “When I took over the office I heard of trainings outside the country and, to my mind, I think we can make use of our existing infrastructure within the country. So, when Innoson approached me with the proposal of training our delegates I was excited about it, so immediately I approved 200 of our delegates to come and train in Innoson Company. That’s why I brought them here; so I really want to patronise our local industries.

“I will say my decision to bring our delegates to Innoson is a worthy one because I interviewed the delegates and investigated the degree of their training and they all said they are happy with this place, and they will want a replica of this company (Innoson) in South-South part of the country, that is, the Niger Delta so that there will be more industries and factories in the Niger Delta.”

The CEO of Innoson Kiara Academy, Mr. Endi Ezengwa, who explained how the training runs at the Academy, said “The factory has various departments and sections. As you are aware, production is done here from scratch to completion, what we have done is that we have broken them into different departments; some on welding, some on painting, mechanic part, and others on electrical parts.

“After three, four months in a department, we now move them around according to what they want to do, so that in nine monthsthey would have learnt what they want to do in those sections.”