BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – As part of its set goals to alleviate Nigerians from the shackles of poverty, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained a total of 5000 persons, mostly youths, women and physically challenged on various skills acquisition in Bauchi and Gombe States.
The Director General of the Fund, Sir Joseph Ari announced this at the Fund’s 2020 stakeholders’ interactive forum in Bauchi.
Sir Ari, who was represented by the Bauchi Office Area Manager, Mr Richard Baba said that the training was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s reviewed vision and quest to tackle incidences of unemployment among the vulnerable groups in the country head on.
He said that the trainings were carried out through Women Skills Empowerment Program (WOSEP), Construction Skills Empowerment Program (CONSEP), National Industrial Skills Development Program (NISDP), amongst others.
Sir Ari said that the beneficiaries were trained on tailoring and fashion design, welding and fabrication, crop production, solar installation, poultry farming, carpentry, hair dressing, agriculture and many others in order to make them self-reliant and employers of labor.
The ITF Director General commended the stakeholders for paying their one percent statutory contribution amidst economic crisis occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and congratulated the stakeholders for surviving the corona virus pandemic.
He said; “We appreciate you all for taking the bold step in fulfilling your obligation by paying your one percent statutory training contribution and also going further to train members of your workforce amidst the economic crisis”.
Ari said that the interactive forum was one of the flagship programs of the Fund that provide a platform to further strengthen existing relationship with critical stakeholders towards the nation’s economic development, adding that the ITF has come a long way in addressing issues bothering on human capital development and skills needs of Nigeria for the past 49 years of its existence.
The DG said that despite the challenges confronting ITF due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Fund has ensured the continual review of its mode of operation in order to achieve its desire and that of the Nigerian people.
Some of the stakeholders while commending the ITF for a good job, advised that the Fund should expand its operations to primary school pupils so as to catch them young.
