Sunday Adam Jos

Director General of Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Joseph Ntung Ari, said the fund is committed to equipping Nigerians with technical skills for employability and entrepreneurship.

He disclosed this shortly after receiving an award of excellence on Monday, from the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Plateau State.

He said entrepreneurship has never wavered and emphasis on skills acquisition has been premised on the firm belief that the ITF remains the the most sustainable solution to increasing poverty and employment, and the catalyst to economic growth and development.

He explained that collaborations and partnerships between the Industrial Training Fund, (ITF), and other national and international relevant bodies have yielded positive attitude towards training and acquisition of skills among apprentice across the country.

He explained that with the sharp rise in Nigeria’s population, there was need for the youths to be equiped with various training skills in order to cater for the needs of the country; instead of allowing the them to rely on foriegn risky employments.

According to Ari, these coĺlaborations has led to the “establishment of the Model Skills Training Centre, Abuja, Acquisition of Mobile training vans, and the conduct of Skills Gap Survey with UNIDO” among others.
The director general who was also excited about these coĺlaborations also stated that “these are a good example of Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP)” which is the focus of the present administration.
He however, regretted that “in our dear country, rather than collaboration and cooperation, turf protection and the tendency to indulge in the blame game have firmly taken hold in most institutions that have bearing on the capacity building of Nigerians.
“I say this taking into cognizance of recent declarations by persons that ordinarily should be familiar with the respective mandates of individual organisations involved in the manpower development in Nigeria but chose conveniently to display appalling ignorance.
“For purposes of clarification, it needs to be stressed that the Industrial Training Fund is specifically mandated to promote, encourage and provide skilled manpower to meet the needs of both private and public sectors of the economy”, he stressed.

The Director General further stressed that with the institutionalization of the National Apprenticeship Training System (NATS), the ITF will enhance the capacity of artisans, craftsmen and technicians for employability and provide Nigerians with the relevant skills and competencies that will grow the economy.

He appreciated the Correspondents’ Chapel for bestowing the award of Excellence in Leadership and Human Capital Development on him.

Earlier Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Gyang Bere, commended the DG ITF for making the country proud following his laudable achievements of life impacting knowledge of various skill most especially on youths through empowerments and also to be self sustained most especially in face of the dwindling economy.

He called on him continue to do more for the development of the country.