EXPERTS TO TRAIN 180 ENUGU YOUTHS ON COAL MINING

The use of coal for petroleum and power generation is expected to raise the internal revenue base of Enugu State. This has again come to the front burner as a stakeholder in the petroleum industry, Dr Livinus Nosike, has called for more youth involvement in the sector.

Dr Nosike was speaking at the 6th Enugu Youth Summit tagged  Innovative Technology & Youth Entrepreneurship Summit organised by the office of the S.A. to the Governor of Enugu, Dr Emeka Asogwa, and the State Ministry  of Youths and Sports.

While addressing hundreds of young entrepreneurs in the state,the 41-year-old Doctor of Petroleum Geology from Ezeagu Local Government Area of the State hinted that his company, Integrated Elvee Services (IES) Ltd, will be willing to train over 180 youths across Enugu State on petroleum and coal exploration as a way of creating hundreds of jobs within the State. The IES boss said the training was in view of the State government’s ongoing discussions with South African investors to revamp the coal sector in Enugu State.

He said, “IES Oil and Gas Training will be empowering these youths with a token covering only registration fees which is a far cry from the #5,000 000 or more with which students have to travel abroad to get trained.Coal is a huge goldmine; tons of unconventional hydrocarbon lies underneath our feets in Enugu State. It is the next mineral resource that can pay us more than petroleum in the State,unfortunately our Nigerian Universities are not practical about the trainings hence we as our own way of giving back to society want to empower youths of the coal-rich Enugu”.

        The University of Nice – Sophia Antipolis, France graduate complained that graduates of petroleum courses in Nigeria have little knowledge about the industry.

“It’s disheartening that many petroleum students don’t know what a simple rig is.This is because the workings in the oil and gas industry seems mystified.Petroleum geoscience is like agriculture, it is not as complex as people think.Its simple to get trained in any of the chains in the industry.”

 The Lagos-based entrepreneur who told journalists that the coal industry in Enugu will provide over 1,000 jobs noted that it will be sad for Enugu State to fall into the challenge of inexperienced locals working with the coal foreign investors.

   Dr Livinus Nosike is known for his continued capacity building for thousands of youths across the country in Oil & Gas.He is also the author  of the book, OVERVIEW OF THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY: A New Perspective in the Saga of the Oil and Gas Struggle.