Modernization of the auto mechanics sector in Benin through the ARCH project: Advances

Three Government Ministers raided the technical and vocational training center of the Lokossa municipal garage, Friday 23 September 2022. This is Ms. Véronique Tognifodé of Social Affairs and Microfinance ; Mr. Yves Kouaro Chabi in charge of Secondary Education, of technical and professional training and Mr. Modeste Kérékou, responsible for the Promotion of Employment and Small and Medium Enterprises. They went to observe the progress of an upgrading session for garage mechanics beneficiaries of the Training component of the Insurance for the Strengthening of Human Capital project (ARCH). 

The visit of the Ministers aims to inquire about the conditions for the conduct of this training which concretizes the implementation of this component of the ARCH project and to exchange with the beneficiaries on the vision of the Government through this initiative. In turn, each Minister took the floor to invite the mechanics to show diligence and seriousness during the training in order to be useful to their customers once they leave Lokossa. “Your presence here delights me, particularly and I would like to ask you, to formalize your garages to be able to work with large structures. This is in the interest of your companies”, said Minister Kérékou. He was supported by his colleague Chabi in these terms : “you are a nursery and through you, the Government wants to have new type of professional mechanics throughout the country capable of meeting the needs of both the public and private sectors”.

 Minister Véronique Tognifodé, in his address, reassured the mechanics and through them, all other trades on the fact that the ARCH project is designed to ensure the social well-being of the populations, All categories, through several aspects. That of training is only in its pilot phase in eight municipalities and if the evaluation is conclusive, generalization will follow with more interesting options. “The Government intends to promote the rise in skills and qualifications of several craft sectors including that of your sector. otherwise, the ARCH-ARTISAN credit was also launched to allow you to find the means to start your own business or to acquire modern instruments adapted to the new knowledge received. You therefore have the possibility of having credits of up to two million CFA francs from partner SFDs of the National Microfinance Fund”, she announced to the mechanics.

Very moved, garage mechanics beneficiaries of the ARCH project, through their spokesperson, expressed their gratitude to the Government which graciously offers them this opportunity to receive concepts and practices allowing them to satisfy their customers. They claimed to have been trained in the past with vehicles of an outdated generation. It is therefore to compensate for this on the eve of the start of the new school year that Minister Véronique Tognifode has deemed it useful to travel to educate parents on the need to strengthen parent-child dialogue., these are new type cars and it was very important to get up to speed. The mechanics made a commitment to ensure that the Government's vision through the implementation of the ARCH project is achieved.

There are several dozen auto mechanics selected after a participatory and transparent procedure to stay in Lokossa as part of this project which consists of providing quality training to enable them to adapt to today's motoring developments.. Their support is entirely ensured by the Government through ARCH.

As part of the implementation of the pilot phase of the training component of the Insurance for the Strengthening of Human Capital project (ARCH), the National Social Protection Agency (ANPS) announced in June 2021, scheduled training of artisans selected throughout the national territory in various areas of expertise. Since then, hundreds of them have been trained in photovoltaic aluminum carpentry ; paint, floor tile, staffing, building and masonry electricity. And deployment in other professions will continue in the months to come. The mechanics currently training in Lokossa are from the second wave, after the first, Last year.

Alongside the Ministers, Friday, for the visit to Lokossa, there was the Managing Director of CFA Motors, partner of the National Social Protection Agency (ANPS) as part of this project ; the Prefect of Mono and the Director of training at ANPS.

Source PFC/MASM