October 26, 2017

Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Lagos State Chapter, on Thursday said that it had trained more than 6,000 youths as auto-technicians to discourage them from vices.

The state Chairman of the association, Mr Jacob Fayehun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that NATA trained the youths for five years and assisted them to be self-reliant.

He said that training began in 2011.

“The association has trained over 6,000 school leavers and other youths on auto technical work such as car wiring, spraying and painting.

“Some youths are roaming the streets and have turned to miscreants,’’ he said, urging school leavers to learn vocations as alternatives to white collar jobs.

He called on governments to upgrade technical schools to international standards to attract interest of more youths in technical education to reduce unemployment.

“The standard of technical schools in this country has deteriorated,’’ he claimed.

The NATA chairman appealed to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State to provide more mechanic villages for auto-technicians.

He said that lack of space had become a huge challenge to technicians’ operations.