ITF Boss, Ari Dismisses Travel Ban On Nigerians As Unfair

BY CHAMBERLAIN ODEY, JOS – The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari, has picked holes in the travel ban slammed on Nigerians by the British Government on account of reported surge in a COVID-19 variant, Omicron and its deadly potential.

Ari described the British Authorities’action as not only unfair but rushed and ill-considered given that the Nigerian Government, through its appropriate agencies, is already working round the clock to forestall the third wave of COVID-19 in the country.

According to him, the government cannot rest on its oars seeing the potential effect of the pandemic on its economic revitalization plans.

He said considering the huge volume of travellers from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, and the series of cooperation engagements between both countries, the ban will adversely affect government programmes and projections for the 2022 fiscal year.

However, the ITF Director-General said the Fund is already thinking ahead so that its activities and programmes respond to expected challenges, adding; “We have come to the growing realization that we are in a world of innovation and ideation. Therefore, we must appropriately respond rather than rest on our oars”.

“Our decision is further informed by the fact that we are on the cusp of the fourth industrial revolution, which, among other things, will lead to greater automation substitutes for labour across the globe”, he said

The ITF boss further noted that Nigeria, like other countries currently grappling with daily challenges, is “devising strategies to reduce unemployment and poverty, and at the same time increase social inclusion and other productive initiatives”.

To him; “It was perhaps in response to these threats and other considerations that the Federal Government recently unveiled the 5-year national development plan (2021-2025) to replace the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, EGRP”.

Sir Ari said the cheering news is that the national plan seeks to create “21 million jobs, with 35 million Nigerians lifted out of poverty, affordable housing for Nigerians, and an export-led economy among others.”

He Nigerians must indeed hope for a better furture with the Plan that focuses on economic growth and development; infrastructure; public administration; human capital development; social development; and regional development.