Former Deputy Governor and Senator representing Rivers West Senatorial District, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has urged Nigerian youths to channel their energy towards acquiring productive skills and contributing to national development, rather than dwelling on complaints over prevailing socio-economic challenges.

Speaking at the graduation of 140 youths trained in the installation and maintenance of lithium-ion-based solar streetlights at Obuama in Degema Local Council of Rivers State, Banigo said the country’s future would depend largely on a generation equipped with practical skills capable of driving economic growth and community development.

The training, organised by the senator’s office and facilitated by Bilview Energy Limited, ended with 110 participants receiving starter packs and funding to commence businesses in the renewable energy sector.

Banigo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, described the programme as an investment in human capital, stressing that empowering young people with relevant technical skills remained one of the most sustainable responses to unemployment and poverty.

She urged the beneficiaries to deploy the knowledge acquired for the benefit of their families, communities and the nation.

“It is no longer the time for complaints. This is the time to prepare yourselves, build your character and contribute to the advancement of the country. You have been empowered; use the knowledge you have gained to create value and support the development of society,” she said.

She also commended President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio for supporting initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians, noting that the programme aligns with efforts to promote self-reliance through skills acquisition.

Chief Executive Officer of Bilview Energy Limited, Prince Billy Gillis Harry, said the participants had undergone intensive practical training designed to prepare them for careers in the renewable energy industry.

He disclosed that the company had recently attained certification as a training institute and that the graduates would receive certificates of competence in the coming weeks.

According to him, although 140 youths completed the programme, 110 qualified for full empowerment with equipment and financial support to establish businesses, adding that the initiative was conceived to deepen youth participation in Nigeria’s transition to clean energy while advancing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of RISE C-Boss Global Limited, Cynthia Ejifoma, whose firm conducted the training, said the curriculum was deliberately structured around practical learning, enabling participants to acquire competencies in solar streetlight installation, lithium-ion battery maintenance, technical support, solar products marketing and renewable energy entrepreneurship.

She expressed optimism that the graduates would not only become self-employed but also create jobs within their communities, thereby contributing to the growth of the renewable energy sector and expanding access to sustainable power solutions across Rivers State.