- By Harry Awurumibe, Head, Abuja Bureau
The Federal Government Monday applauded the efforts of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in tackling youth unemployment in Nigeria just as the agency said it has equipped over 200, 000 citizens with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.
Specifically, ITF Director General and Chief Executive, Sir Joseph Ari has been singled out for praise by the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha at the Graduation of the 2019 National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).
Speaking at the NISDP graduation ceremony held at Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Center, Abuja, the SGF who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, David Adejo, commended the ITF and parent Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment “for their unrelenting efforts to equip Nigerians with skills that would contribute to reducing poverty and creating jobs.”
According to Mustapha, “This is no doubt in alignment with Federal Government’s efforts to turn around the fortunes of the citizenry”.
“As we all know, to effectively tackle poverty and unemployment, we need people to be equipped with requisite skills for increased production and delivery of goods and services”, he stated.
The SGF, however, said that in tackling youth unemployment, the Government is building mechanisms and institutionalized 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 Nigeria a very productive nation.
“It is in this light that I will commend the ITF for the wonderful job under the leadership of the Director-General, Sir Joseph Ari. I am aware that the ITF has trained over 450, 000 Nigerians in various skills and trades over the last three and half years, of which the NISDP we are closing today is one of such”, Mustapha said.
Earlier in his welcome address the ITF DG, Ari explained that “NISDP is one of the numerous skills acquisition intervention programmes introduced and implemented by the Fund to facilitate the achievement of the Federal Government policy on jobs and wealth creation”.
The astute administrator also said that the ” NISDP focuses on skills acquisition to create jobs to stem rampant unemployment and breed a new generation of entrepreneurs, in order to transform the economic landscape of the country “.
Ari revealed that since inception, “the NISDP has equipped over 18, 000 persons from FCT with skills for employability and entrepreneurship”, pointing out that the those who are graduating today commenced in the last quarter of 2019 and the training lasted between three and six months depending on the trade.
“In all, over 11, 000 Nigerians were equipped with skills in 9 trades namely leather works (shoes and bag making), welding, fabrications, catering and event management, tiling, production and laying of interlock, furniture making, domestic electrical wiring and installation, solar energy installation, plumbing and pipefitting, and autogelle and beauty care”, he said.
The DG later presented all the 2019 NISDP graduates with Start-up packs even as the representative of the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello and Minister of State, Hajia Ramatu Sani advised the beneficiaries not to sell their equipment which includes sewing machines, gas cookers, materials for hairdressers among others.
