By Ibrahim Mohammed
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), has trained a fresh set of over 11,000 youths in various skills with a view to bridging the unemployment gap in Nigeria.
Director-General/Executive of ITF, Joseph Ari, who stated this in Abuja while delivering an address at the closing ceremony of the 2019 national Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), said the beneficiaries were trained in leader works (shoe and bag making), welding and fabrication, catering and event management.
Others include: Tiling, production and laying of interlock tiles, furniture making, domestic electrical wiring and installation, solar energy installation, plumbing and pipefitting as well as autogelle and beauty care.
According to Ari, ‘‘given the intensity and the very practical nature of the training, which was 80 percent practical and 20 percent theory, they (beneficiaries) were equipped with the necessary skills and attitudes for them to thrive as employees or as entrepreneurs.’’
Besides, ‘‘when tied with the trades, which were chosen after careful and in-depth need analysis of their locales, we have no doubt they will thrive, as trades they have learned will always be needed,’’ he said.
The Director-General pointed out that the ITF ‘‘commitment to skills acquisition is premised on the fact that it remains the most viable and sustainable solution to rising unemployment and poverty that have continued to defy the best efforts of governmental and non-governmental approaches.’’
He however, note that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has made tremendous effort to create jobs, saying today, across the country ‘‘we see visible evidence of the federal government’s efforts to get Nigerians engaged in meaningful economic ventures through various social investment programmes and numerous skills acquisition programmes being implemented by the ITF and other organisations with mandates.’’
Ari, then appealed to state governments, organized private sector, non-governmental organisations, faith- based groups, politicians as well as other stakeholders to collaborate with the fund.
In his address, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, lauded the ITF for the wonderful job under the current leadership of the fund.
Mustapha, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Mr David Adejo, recalled that the ITF has trained over 450,000 Nigerians in various skills and trades over the last three and half year, and ‘‘in tackling youth unemployment the government is building mechanisms and institutionalised processes, especially in the informal sector, that would give the Nigerian youth assurances that their energy and dynamism can and should be invested in making a very productive nation,’’
For his part, the Chairman Senate Committee on Industry, Senator Sikiru Osinowo, commended the fund for a doing a go job, and assured that the National Assembly will continue to give support to the ITF to strengthen it for better service delivery.
The 2019 NISDP had 300 beneficiaries each from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. Since its inception, the programme has equipped over 200.000 Nigerians nationwide and 18,000 from the FCT with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.
