Over 450,000 Nigerians trained by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), were also given start-up packs to kick-start their own businesses, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo, has disclosed.
He noted that their training and equipping was part of federal government’s efforts to create employment and reduce the poverty in the country,
Adebayo who made this known while commissioning the new Lagos Island office of ITF, said the 450,000 trained Nigerians graduated through the ITF skill intervention programmes in the last three and half years.
He said he believed that more would have been recorded with increased infrastructure that would enable easier access to its programme by Nigerians.
He noted ITF also set up Mechatronics workshop in Kano and the Kastina Area office complex to help in actualising the goal of job creation and industrialisation agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Adebayo commended the leadership of ITF for playing a vital role in the fight against poverty and unemployment. “I am pleased by what the ITF is doing, as the federal government efforts to tackle poverty and unemployment cannot be achieved without skills acquisition for entrepreneurship and employability, just as skills cannot be imparted without the necessary facilities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu commended the board and management of the ITF for the successful completion and commissioning of the Lagos Island Area Office complex.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by Mrs. Ajibola Ponle, Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pension, pointed out that it is, “The strength and viability of any society depends on the capability of the human capital to harness available resources potential and opportunity for the development and growth of the economy.”
He said it is therefore expedient that training must be provided for the work force to achieve the goals or objective that makes life meaningful to the people.
Sanwo-Olu said the new complex would complement the effort of other ITF area command offices in Lagos in achieving their mandate, which is to provide, promote and encourage the acquisition of skills in both private and public sectors.
The governor said that with the rate at which technology was redefining the nature of jobs, now and in the future, youths must be empowered with new skills that will enable them to become wealth and job creators.
In his welcome address, the director-general and CEO, ITF, Mr. Joseph Ari stated that ordinarily, with the human resources bestowed on the country, Nigeria can be among the world’s economists with adequate preparation by Nigerians.
According to him, the country should take advantage of the population to be on top with skill acquisition by individuals that can prepare them for a better future. Ari said that in 2016, the present management on assumption of office realised that one of the challenges facing the acquisition of skills by Nigerians was infrastructural deficit.
He said that in the tackling the deficit, the ITF unveiled an ambitious plan named ‘the ITF Rebuild Vision’ with strategies for the actualization of mandate. He said the key objectives of the plan were to accelerate impartation of technical skills to Nigeria for job creation and poverty reduction and the expansion/modernisation of ITF’s infrastructure for more Nigerians to access services and enhance capacity to train in relevant contemporary skills.
According to him, the commissioning is in line with implementation of the plan which will also enhance job creation in the country. He commended the staff for their roles in actualising the plan of the agency.
