The Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has described the nomenclature of the Skills Acquisition Centers (SAC) at Nkot – Nakanda in Calabar, Cross Rivers State and Mkpanak – Ibeno Local Government Area, Akwa lbom State as inaccurate.
He said this recently, when he visited the centers during a monitoring and evaluation tour of some projects of the Ministry, in the 6 Niger Delta States of the Region, in the phase 1 monitoring exercise.
According to him, with the enormous facilities located at Nkot – Nakanda, the Center qualifies as a mini Polytechnic where certificates/degree courses on Tourism and Hospitality can be obtained.
He stated further that, the Skills Acquisition Center at lbeno Akwa lbom, can be upgraded to an Oil and Gas Institute due to its location where courses in underwater welding can be undertaken, in the Olympic sized swimming pool, constructed at the site. He added that, this would save a lot of foreign exchange spent by those going to South Africa to train on the Underwater Welding Programme and other related courses/skills on Oil and Gas.
The Minister therefore recommended that the SAC be renamed after President Muhammadu Buhari and charged the Ministry to note that the SAC is an Institute where both certificates/degree courses will run concurrently, as well as skill acquisition training.
While speaking earlier at the occasion, one of the Community leaders, Engineer William Mkpa, informed the Minister that the project began when the Minister was the Governor of the State.
He also requested embankment around the site for drainage purposes before the commencement of the rains and reiterated his belief that the project would come to fruition, with President Buhari coming to lbeno for the Commissioning.
Patricia Deworitshe
Head of Press
