Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, has challenged Nigerian youths to explore technological developments in the area of renewable energy. Governor Ayade gave the charge at a capacity building workshop on Small Hydro Power Plant for Renewable Energy Development in Calabar, organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO.
The governor particularly tasked young Nigerians and indeed Africans to equip themselves with the needed skills to improve our own technology going forward.
He said it was regrettable that the country relies on foreigners for basic technology like hydro power plants, whereas the majority of the nation’s population was made up of young people.
“With a population of 207 million people with 65percent of that population under 35 years old, we cannot continue to depend on countries like China to bring us simple technology like the mini hydro power plant.
“I challenge young Nigerians to take advantage of this workshop knowing fully well that science and technology drives the future because we cannot continue to depend on other countries’ technology for our own growth.”