EHIME ALEX, Lagos
The Industrial Training Fund ITF has announced plan to graduate over 11,000 youths trained under one of its skills acquisition programmes, the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).
Also, in line with its planned activities for the year 2020 tagged “The Year of Great Promise”, the Fund is set to commission four projects that were executed by the incumbent Management of the Fund.
In a statement signed by Head of Public Affairs, Suleyol Fred-Chagu, the ITF’s Director-General, Sir Joseph Ari, has disclosed in Jos recently.
He said the Fund is committed to ensuring full actualisation of the it’s mandate in order to grow the National economy.
According to Ari, the beneficiaries, whose training commenced in the last quarter of 2019, were equipped with skills in nine trades which include Leather Works (Shoe and Bag Making), Welding and Fabrication, Catering and Event Management, Tiling, Production and Laying of Interlock Tiles, Furniture Making, Domestic Electrical Wiring and Installation, Solar Energy Installation, Plumbing and Pipefitting, and Autogelle and Beauty Care.
Ari explained that the trade areas were chosen in view of their prospects to meeting the needs of people and providing sustainable livelihoods for the beneficiaries with such skills
He stated that like previous beneficiaries of the programme, the graduands would be empowered with the start-up packs to commence their businesses.
The DG urged parents and guardians to encourage their children and wards to embrace skills acquisition, as white collar jobs were no longer available.
He added that the only way President Buhari’s pledge of taking 100 million Nigerians out of poverty before the end of his tenure can be actualised, was for Nigerians to acquire skills.
He reaffirmed that the ITF is determined to ensure many Nigerians, as possible as it can, were equipped with relevant skills for employability and growth.
On the commissioning, the DG stated that the projects, which include the Lagos Island Area Office Complex, the Headquarters’ Library Complex in Jos, the Mechatronics Workshop at Industrial Skills Training Centre (ISTC), Kano, and the Katsina Area Office Complex will be commissioned before the end of February, 2020.
He noted that apart from reducing the infrastructure deficit, which is one of key agenda of the Buhari Administration, the projects would deepen the Fund’s infrastructure and expand access for more Nigerians to benefit from the its services as some of the facilities would have fully equipped vocational wings for the training of Nigerians in various trades and crafts for employability and entrepreneurship.
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