The Federal Government has commenced a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicle retrofitting training programme for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the South-East zone.

The programme, organised under the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative in collaboration with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), was flagged off in Enugu on Tuesday.

Earlier, similar training had taken place last week in Abuja and in Lagos on Monday, where corps members were empowered through the training programme.

The training is designed to equip corps members with practical skills in CNG vehicle conversion and create opportunities for them to become self-reliant after their service year.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Youth Initiatives, Dr Titi Gbadamosi making her speech in Enugu during the training.

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Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Youth Initiatives, Dr Titi Gbadamosi, said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to prepare young Nigerians for the opportunities emerging from the country’s transition to alternative energy.

Gbadamosi described the NYSC programme as a critical transition between formal education and the wider world, stressing that the government had a responsibility to ensure that corps members were equipped with relevant skills before completing their service.

“It gives me pleasure to be among you today. The Enugu State camp is one of the most coordinated camps I have visited.

“The NYSC is a transition phase between school and the real world. It is our duty to make sure that the transition is not just smooth but perfect. That is why we keep improving on the SAED programme,” she said.

She urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously, saying the CNG sector offered significant employment opportunities for young Nigerians.

According to her, following the removal of the fuel subsidy, President Tinubu decided to encourage the use of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources as an alternative fuel source.

She said the Federal Government had set a target of converting 100,000 vehicles to CNG annually, adding that the target would create opportunities for trained technicians and entrepreneurs in the sector.

Representative of the Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin and Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, NADDC, Ikechukwu Okoha making a speech during the training in Enugu on Tuesday.

“That is why we thought that we should also introduce CNG conversion into the SAED programme. These young Nigerians were selected from different fields of engineering.

“If you take this seriously, you are the future of the energy space in Nigeria. Your training will continue all year long so that, as you end your service, you will be a certified CNG converter,” Gbadamosi said.

She added that the initiative reflected the President’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians with practical skills that could translate into sustainable livelihoods.

Representing the Director-General of the NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, at the event, Ikechukwu Okoha, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, said the Council was fully committed to the success of the programme.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, has visited some projects being executed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) across Bayelsa West District, reaffirming the Board’s commitment to the development and well-being of host communities.

The Minister, who is also the Chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council, was in Bayelsa on a personal engagement and took the opportunity to visit some of the NCDMB’s projects in Ekeremor Local Government Area, including the 1.24km Link Road 2 in Ekeremor Town, the 1.250km Link Road in Ekeremor Town, and a 378kWp Mini Solar Grid, among others.

The projects are part of the NCDMB’s corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at providing critical infrastructure and making life more meaningful for people in its host communities.

’The NCDMB has continued to demonstrate its commitment to its established responsibilities, including its corporate social responsibility to host communities. These projects are targeted at improving the quality of life of our people and supporting sustainable development.”

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Lokpobiri expressed optimism that the projects would be completed and put to use in due course.

“I believe that, in due time, these projects shall be completed to offer the intended services to the public and deliver lasting benefits to the benefiting communities,” he stated.

The Minister commended the NCDMB for its interventions in the district and expressed confidence that the completed projects would contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of Bayelsa West.

Citizens’ concerns over completion of ongoing negotiations before restarting oil production might be a clog in the wheel of the Federal Government’s plan for resuming oil activities in Ogoniland after 32 years.

This came to the fore because Ogoni people, under the platform of KAGOTE, representing Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas, alleged that some oil-related activities may have commenced in parts of Ogoniland while the peace process with the Federal Government is still ongoing.

Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, KAGOTE President, Chief Lesi Maol, said the development could undermine confidence in the dialogue process and create fresh distrust among the people.

Maol, however, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to addressing the longstanding concerns of the Ogoni people.

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He said KAGOTE recognised the Federal Government’s decision to establish the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC) and appoint National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as its chief negotiator as evidence of its commitment to finding a lasting solution to the Ogoni crisis.

The ODC was inaugurated by the Federal Government in January 2025 to engage Ogoni stakeholders on the conditions for the resumption of oil production, rebuild trust and strengthen relations between the communities and the government.

“We particularly recognise the integrity and distinguished public service record of the National Security Adviser and believe that the dialogue process, as conceived by the Federal Government, represents a genuine opportunity to achieve lasting peace and a mutually beneficial outcome for both the Ogoni people and the Federal Government,” Maol said.

He, however, expressed concern over what he described as the conduct of some members of the dialogue committee, saying their actions required urgent clarification to protect the credibility of the process.

“There is a growing apprehension among sections of the Ogoni population that certain oil-related activities may have commenced in parts of Ogoniland while consultations between the Federal Government and Ogoni stakeholders remain ongoing,” he said.

According to him, the absence of clear information from the ODC leadership has created uncertainty in the communities.

Maol said he had received several representations from concerned Ogoni communities but had been unable to provide definitive answers because of the lack of authoritative information.

KAGOTE therefore urged the ODC and Federal Government to clearly communicate the status of oil activities in Ogoniland to prevent misinformation, speculation and unnecessary tension.

He stressed that transparency would be critical to sustaining the fragile trust required to achieve a peaceful and mutually acceptable resumption of oil production in the oil-rich region.