*** As DG plans to unveil comprehensive vision
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun has said that as agency of the federal government that is vested with the mandate of Human Capital Development (HCD) of Nigeria, it has over the years developed numerous skills intervention programmes aimed at tackling unemployment and poverty, the promotion of entrepreneurship and the reduction of youth restiveness while also facilitating the diversification of the Nigerian economy in line with the federal government’s policy.
This is even as Ogun assured the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and ITF Supervising Minister, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite who is
the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment that the ITF under his leadership will work closely with them to facilitate the achievement of the policies and goals of the federal government.
In his Welcome Speech at the closing ceremony of the 2023 Nigeria Breweries Plc and ITF Skills Empowerment Programme under National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) at Bolton White Events Centre, Zone 7 Wuse, Abuja, Ogun also told the Ministers that he must acknowledge that they are working hard to deliver on the mandate given to them by the President for the benefit of the nation.
Said he: “I must note that your Excellencies have shown great urgency and commendable drive to actualise the mandates of your Ministries in line with the vision and mission of the Renewed Hope Agenda”.
The ITF boss also told his guests that “It is with great delight and a deep sense of gratitude that I welcome you to the graduation ceremony and distribution of start-up packs to beneficiaries of the 2023 National Industrial Skills Development Programmes (NISDP)”, adding that “this is also one of my first official functions since my appointment as Director General/CE of the ITF by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR”.
He however listed some of the programmes implemented by the ITF to include: the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), the Women Skills Empowerment Programme (WOSEP), Construction Skills Empowerment Programme (CONSEP), Agri-preneurship Skills Empowerment Programme (AgSEP), Skills Training and Empowerment Programme for the Physically-Challenged (STEPP-C) amongst several others.
Said he: “the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), which graduation is taking place today, is a transformative brainchild of the ITF that is implemented to fast-track the achievement of the Federal Government policy on job and wealth creation. It focuses on skills acquisition to create jobs to curb the rampant unemployment situation in the country and breed a new generation of entrepreneurs to transform the economic landscape of the country.
“I have been informed that since its inception, the NISDP has equipped over 500,000 Nigerians nationwide with cutting-edge skills in various trades”.
Speaking further Ogun disclosed that: “this year, the NISDP and the ITF-Nigerian Breweries National Youth Empowerment Programme were implemented in the FCT; training 190 Youths and Women who were equipped with skills in Solar Power Installation, POP and Painting, Hair Dressing/Beauty Care, Ladies’ Wig Cap Making, Mobile Phone Repairs Leather Works (Shoe and Bag Making) and Electrical Installation”.
According to him “as an institution, our commitment to skills acquisition is based on the fact that it is the most sustainable solution to combatting unemployment, reducing poverty and youth restiveness in the country. It is universally accepted that any society that neglects the development of its human capital is bound to retrogress in terms of growth and development”. READ ALSO:
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He said in Nigeria, the situation is especially worrisome as even in the face of existing vacancies in several sectors of the National economy, as revealed by surveys conducted by the ITF and other organisations, youths roam the streets without any form of gainful employment giving rise to crimes and other social vices that bedevil our dear Nation today.
He said although the ITF has achieved a lot in over half a century of existence, the Organisation in my opinion requires a new direction and focus for the policies and goals of the Tinubu administration to be achieved. You may recall that during my assumption of office, I had emphasized the need for the ITF to become a catalyst for National growth by deepening its activities and their impact on the National economy through the expansion of access both locally and internationally to our unique resources and internal competencies.
“I hope to do this through the utilization of modern technology and the enthronement of a new culture that will lead to the emergence of Nigeria as a country with the most skilled persons in Africa. In the next few weeks, we will unveil a comprehensive vision of what the ITF of the future will look like”.
