Sixty members of the Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA) in the Eastern Region have been selected to be trained in Solar Energy Systems and installation under the COTVET Skills Development Fund (SDF) programme.

The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Ghana Technology University (GTUC) who would provide the training and will award certificates to the beneficiaries at the end of the training.

Briefing the GNA at the opening of the two-week training at the Koforidua campus of the GTUC, Nana Addo-Tetebo, the regional chairman of GECA, said at the end of the training beneficiaries were expected to be able to install and maintain Solar Energy Systems or standalone power.

He said participants would also be equipped with knowledge on how to connect excess power from solar energy systems to the National Grid and thanked COTVET and the SDF for taking all the cost of the training.

According to him, the solar energy was a sure alternative to the present energy crisis the nation was facing and in order for their members to be relevant on the job market since many people were embracing the solar energy, they thought it wise to have them equipped with that knowledge.

Nana Addo-Tetebo said in line with that the GECA wrote proposals to the SDF for funding to train some of their members and so far, in collaboration with the GTUC, over 500 of its members had been trained in five regions.

Dr Kwaku Owusu-Acheampong, New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, urged the beneficiaries to maximize the opportunity given them since it was an additional skill to boost their jobs and empower their livelihoods.