Ebonyi Commissioner Lauds Nwifuru As First CNG Conversion Centre Commissioned In Abakaliki

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Mrs Ann Aligwe, has commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for creating an enabling environment that attracted the establishment of the first Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion centre in the South-East to the state. ‎

‎Aligwe made the commendation while speaking with journalists during the commissioning of the CNG Conversion Centre in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. ‎ ‎She said the governor’s commitment to entrepreneurship and human capital development, in line with the People’s Charter of Needs agenda, had empowered many residents and created opportunities for them to move from “zero to hero.” ‎

‎According to her, the administration’s emphasis on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and human productivity contributed to attracting the Federal Government’s CNG conversion initiative to the state. ‎ ‎Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Industry, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, described his visit to Ebonyi as a “homecoming,” while commending Governor Nwifuru for the hospitality extended to him and the Federal Government delegation. ‎

‎Enoh described Nwifuru as a governor committed to value addition and economic diversification, assuring that the Federal Government would continue to support the state government towards the full realisation of the Abakaliki Cement Factory project at Nkalagu. ‎ ‎He also commended the Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring for her commitment to the governor’s vision on value addition, skills development and human productivity. ‎

‎The minister said the CNG conversion programme was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s focus on human skills development, talent discovery and industrial growth. ‎ ‎He noted that the commissioning of the centre demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to technical and manpower development, particularly in the automotive sector. ‎ ‎Enoh explained that the Federal Government had identified automotive skills as one of the key areas requiring specialised training, adding that the centre would expose youths to emerging technologies and provide them with relevant skills in the automotive industry. ‎ ‎He described Ebonyi as a state with strong entrepreneurial potential, urging youths and graduates to take advantage of the centre to acquire technical skills that could enable them to become employers of labour. ‎ ‎The minister said the automotive sector remained a viable avenue for tackling youth unemployment and creating opportunities for future generations. ‎ ‎Earlier, Governor Nwifuru described the commissioning of the centre as a partnership that reflects his administration’s industrialisation vision. ‎ ‎He said the People’s Charter of Needs agenda recognises that sustainable development in Ebonyi must be built on a strong foundation of infrastructure, human capital, technology and productive enterprise. ‎ ‎According to him, his administration is deliberately creating an environment where industries can thrive, stressing that infrastructure without skilled manpower cannot achieve its full potential. ‎ ‎The governor said his administration had therefore placed emphasis on education, technical capacity development, information and communication technology, and youth empowerment. ‎ ‎Nwifuru urged young people to take advantage of the CNG conversion centre to acquire critical technical skills, stressing that technical education should not be regarded as an alternative for those unable to pursue academic education. ‎ ‎He said a skilled automotive engineer could establish a business, create employment and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic growth. ‎ ‎The governor also called on investors and development agencies to take advantage of Ebonyi’s growing population of young people, assuring them that the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment for responsible investments. ‎ ‎The Commissioner further noted that the centre was the first of its kind in the South-East, urging youths in the state to take advantage of the opportunity for their personal development and economic empowerment. ‎ ‎The Chairman of the Board, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Chief Emmanuel Enukwu, and the Director-General of the council, Mr Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, thanked Governor Nwifuru for the warm reception accorded the team. ‎ ‎They also urged the people of Ebonyi State to continue supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in the state. ‎