By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The Director General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari, has appealed to the Federal Government to provide funds to the organisation to help it procure mobile training units.
He equally said, when the mobile training units are procure, it will aid the organisation to reach “far flung and hard to reach areas where training is needed.
Ari made the appeal at the agency’s 2019 Merit Award Ceremony held at it’s headquarters in Jos, the Plateau State Capital.
Adding that providing the aforementioned will accelerate provision of skills, increase employment and also enhance livelihood of the citizenry, as has been experience in Brazil and other such countries.
“I wish to appeal to the Federal Government of our dear nation to provide funds to the ITF to procure mobile training units.
“These units, as in Brazil and other such countries, can reach far flung and hard to reach areas where training is needed.
“This will indeed accelerate provision of skills and thereby increase employment and enhance livelihood.
He called on state governments, the organised private sector, non governmental organisations, faith-based organisations, politicians and other stakeholders to collaborate with ITF in it’s efforts to train Nigerians.
“Your support could come by way of sponsorship of trainees for our various skills programmes, or by providing tools for trainees of the programmes.
“We believe that it is only through such collaborations that the Fund will be able to train as many youths to reduce the twin blights of unemployment and poverty.
The Director General however maintained that, “The extent to which the ITF will succeed in this regard is contingent on the willingness of all the stakeholders to fully support and collaborate with it”.
Awards were presented to best area office in training activities, best area office in revenue generation, overall best performing area office and training centre; and also to the best contributing employers in HRD, among others.
Ari advised award winners to view the recognition as a challenge to work harder than rest on their oars.
In his address, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, said, “But beyond the empowerment of the youths with skills, the ITF has made specific contributions in the educational sector and other aspect of the state through its Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes.
Lalong who was represented by the Commissioner of Special Duties and Non Governmental Organisations, Jeremiah Were added that, “Aside the two boreholes donated by IT F to Rantya and Hwolshe communities, the training of over 200 teachers for free, donation of a sick bay to St. John Vianney Seminary and renovation of the ICT Centre at the Government Technical College in Bukuru, recently, the Hon. Minister was here to commission the Fund’s Modern library Complex at the Headquarters and Classroom Block at the ITF Staff School.
“I want to place on record that the ITF is the Federal Agency in Plateau State that has contributed the most to its development. On that note, I commend the ITF under the leadership of Sir Ari for doing such a wonderful job”, maintained.
“I want to state that the Plateau State Government is walling to collaborate and support all ITF initiatives especially as they concern Human Capital Development and this IS in alignment wuth the State’s policy goals. I also want to assure you that the doors of the Plateau State Government will always be open to the ITF
for any collaboration”, he assured.
“I am of the firm belief that only through the empowerment of our youths with skills, which the ITF is doing. will some of the problems including unemployment, incessant insecurity and other social vices be effectively tackled”, Lalong stressed.
