The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Industrial Training Fund (ITF)

  • Fed Govt moves to licence artisans

    Fed Govt moves to licence artisans

    The Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Afiz Ogun, yesterday admonished artisans in the country to go and register and ensure they go through data capturing so they can benefit from the federal government Skill Up Artisan Programmes (SUPA) as this will ensure that their businesses are captured adequately for the programme.

    “ITF is building a market place where artisans are easily accessible on request, could be internal request from organisations in the country or request from foreigners, the organisation also created a help desk in most parts of the country, this is for artisans to reach each other anytime they are in a fix,” Ogun explained.

    He said the organization has gone round the six geopolitical zones, interviewed artisans to ensure those that registered so far are not robots. ‘Some times names are written and no face to the names, the reason the exercise is to ensure the beneficiaries are real’.

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    The DG lamented that investors will come to invest in the country and still go back to their country to import artisans, this he said has to stop.

    The DG disclosed this at the inaugural meeting on the implementation of skills up artisans SUPA programme in Abuja, on creating a mutually beneficial partnership between ITF and Enlisted Skills Training Centers (ESTCs) by transforming the skills acquisition space in Nigeria.

    He said, “Over the last seven months, my team and I have worked assiduously to design and undertake the preparatory work for a specialized program known as Skill Up Artisan (SUPA) to respond to the technical manpower crisis faced by the country as well as escalate vocational training to defeat quackery”.

    The Deputy Director, Technical and Vocational Skills, Usman Gano noted that, the SUPA programme is to aid quality service delivery through the Training, Certification and licensing of artisans and to promote the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.

  • Bayelsa trains over 5,633 youths in various vocational skills

    Bayelsa trains over 5,633 youths in various vocational skills

    The Bayelsa Government says it has trained no fewer than 5,633 youths in various skills since the inception of Gov. Seriake Dickson administration in 2012.

    Mr Collins Cocordia, Bayelsa Commissioner for Youth Development, said this on Friday at the on-going Inter-Ministerial and Agencies’ briefing in Yenagoa.

    The briefing was part of activities to mark Dickson’s six years in office come Feb. 14.

    The briefing tagged, “Restoration Government at Six: Our Score Card in Focus”, started on Jan. 22 and would end on Feb. 9.

    Cocordia explained that about 40 members of the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ) were also trained in different professional skills in the state.

    He said the training was carried out in collaboration with other agencies both at the national and international level.

    On the cost of training, the Commissioner said that the government had invested huge resources to ensure that people of the state were empowered.

    “The state government spends between N1.5 and N2 million to train a youth in professional skills.

    “Since we came on board, about 1, 000 persons were trained in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund ( ITF ), Small and Medium Enterprises’ Development Agency of Nigeria ( SMEDAN ), and Bank of Industry ( BoI ) for three months.

    “More than 150 were trained at the International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality on different skills, including GSM telephone repair for four months.

    “Also about 627 youths were also trained in a programme tagged “Catch Them Young through Skills Acquisition” in science and technology.

    “We have had series of training progrmmes to empower and develop the youth; similarly we have sent some to different parts of the world for training.

    “In this 2018, we hope to train many youths on solar energy in partnership with a German based company on other skills such as diving, flight dispatch, and fire fighting among others,” the ommissioner said.

    NAN

  • FCTA, ITF to collaborate on skills development

    FCTA, ITF to collaborate on skills development

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA ), has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Industrial Training Fund ( ITF ) to train youths in the territory on necessary entrepreneurial and vocational skills.

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, said this when the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari paid him a courtesy visit on Friday in Abuja.

    “We are ready to partner with ITF to reduce unemployment in the Territory by ensuring that our youths acquire the necessary skills that would make them self-employed and employers of labour.

    “This is especially very important now that there is so much influx of people from every part of the country into the Territory,’’ he said.

    According to him, this is in a bid to curtail the rate of unemployment in the territory and the country in general.

    The minister, represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Chinyeaka Ohaa lauded the enormous contributions of the ITF in repositioning the nation’s economy on the path of sustainable growth and development.

    “We know that ITF is one of the foremost institutions that have helped Nigeria’s economy tremendously.

    “In fact, your role is even more critical now that we are having unemployment issues,’’ he added.

    Earlier, Ari, the ITF director-general, said that given the position of FCT as the gateway of Nigeria, the agency believed in partnership with FCTA.

    “This partnership particularly in the area of skills acquisition will assist immensely to achieve the dream of President Muhammadu Buhari, to empower young people with requisite skills.

    “We are here to synergise with FCTA being the gateway of Nigeria to achieve the dream of Buhari which is hinged on empowering people with skills in different areas,’’ he explained.

    The ITF boss further said that the agency had keyed into the policy of Federal Government on the “Ease of Doing Business and other international trends.

    NAN

  • Entrepreneurship: Edo, ITF train 467

    Entrepreneurship: Edo, ITF train 467

    …Obaseki gives out 150 sewing machines, 50 welding machines, 125 computers, others

     

    The Edo State Government in collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) on Wednesday, handed starter-packs to 467 people who participated in the second phase of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

    Speaking at the closing ceremony at the Government House in Benin City, Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, commended the ITF for collaborating with the state government in its resolve to create 200,000 jobs in the state.

    “We want to change the narrative that vocational jobs are inferior to white-collar jobs. We must create small and medium scale enterprises for our nation to develop because it is the most viable way to create jobs,” he said.

    The governor urged the beneficiaries of the training to put into efficient use the starter- packs by setting up their own small-scale businesses as the state government will provide working capital for them.

    He, however, warned the beneficiaries, who were drawn from the 18 local government areas of the state, not to sell the starter-packs as the progress of their businesses would be monitored.

    The starter-packs given to the trainees included 150 sewing machines, 142 ovens and gas cylinders, 50 welding machines and 125 complete computer sets.

    In his address at the event, the Director General of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, said the initiative to equip youths with skills is in line with the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure sustainable development in the country.

    Ari commended the state governor for ensuring each trainee got starter-packs and added that it would go a long way in helping them unleash their inherent talent.

    The DG hailed Obaseki for investing in vocational education, noting that his agency was ready to train more manpower at the Benin Science and Technical College. The participants were trained in fashion designing, pastry making, welding and fabrication and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for about three months.

     

  • ITF trains 65 teachers, donates 210 desks to two schools

    ITF trains 65 teachers, donates 210 desks to two schools

    The Industrial Training Fund ( ITF ) has trained 65 teachers and donated 210 desks to two schools in Plateau, its Director-General, Mr Joseph Ari, said on Thursday in Jos.

    Ari, who said that the gesture was part of ITF’s corporate responsibility to its host community, identified the benefiting schools as Government Science School, Kuru, and St. Joseph Vianney Minor Seminary, Barkin-Ladi.

    He said that the schools also received various teaching aids to improve the quality of service delivery.

    According to him, ITF donated 20 computers to the two schools and renovated the sick bay at the seminary.

    “We also converted the school dispensary of the Science School, Kuru to a sick bay, and provided the required equipment and drugs,” he said.

    The ITF boss said that teachers’ development had remained a major concern of the ITF because they constituted a major factor in the provision of quality education.

    He said that ITF had also provided practical experience to students in 311 tertiary institutions using the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

    “We are also working with Nigeria Employers Consultative Association ( NECA ) to train workers on technical skills in 24 organisations,” he said.

    He said that Industrial Training Fund had also extended such gesture to technical schools in Benin and Federal Technical College, Awka, in Anambra.

  • ITF to empower 360 women on skills acquisition

    ITF to empower 360 women on skills acquisition

    Mr Joseph Ari, the Director-General , Industrial Training Fund (ITF) says 360 women will be trained under its new programme Women’s Skill Empowerment Programme (WOSP).

    Ari made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

    He said that 30 women would be selected from two states in the each of the geopolitical zones.

    Ari said that after the training, the women would be empowered with starter packs to enable them start their business.

    He said that ITF would partner with  Galilee International Management Institute in Israel on agriculture.

    Ari said that  ITF was still studying the proposal for partnership by the Institute.

    According to him, when the programme takes off, it will enable ITF  align itself with the Federal Government’s diversification programme.

    He said that ITF was ready to provide dynamic and proactive services aimed at achieving its mandate in line with government agenda.

    Ari said that ITF had reviewed its vision and came up with policy and implementation strategies to enable it take a leading role in human capital development.

    According to him, ITF intends to convene Nigeria Skills summit with the following deliverables: set actionable steps for developing employable skills in Nigeria and examine best practices for aligning skills development to market needs.

    He said ITF would leverage on the outcome of the summit for the development of national skills policy.

  • Reps to probe alleged unpaid SIWES allowances to students

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday, resolved to probe Industrial Training Fund (ITF) over alleged unpaid allowances of students who participated in the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

    This followed a motion by Rep. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers-PDP) on the “Need to address the non-payment of SIWES allowances to students by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF)”.

    Moving the motion, Chinda said that the failure of the ITF to pay allowances to students who participated in the SIWES needed to be addressed.

    He said that payment of allowances was one of the mandates for which ITF was set up.

    Chinda said that the fund was also established to encourage acquisition of skills needed for manpower training in the country and under the SIWES scheme.

    According to him, students under the scheme usually undertake six months or one year under ITF.

    “It is unpatriotic for ITF or any government agency to deliberately bring hardship to students by withholding funds that have been released for payment of their SIWES allowances.

    “Unless urgent action is taken to check the prevailing sharp practices in the operations of the ITF, students will continue to be ripped off,” he said.

    The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

    The House mandated its Committee on Industry to investigate allegations of sharp practices and fraud in the operations of ITF, especially on the utilisation of its funds from 2010 till date.

    The committee is to report back, its findings to the House within four weeks for further, legislative action.

  • Ngige wants synergy among FG agencies on vocational training

    Ngige wants synergy among FG agencies on vocational training

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has called for synergy among Federal Government agencies in charge of skill acquisition and vocational training to ensure the full realization of the government objective on job creation.

    Senator Ngige said vocational training was the key to unlocking the potentials of Nigerian youths and stemming the tide of unemployment in the country.

    The Minister spoke at the graduation ceremony of Ganduje Auto-Mechanic Training and Empowerment Scheme as well as the training of Kano Zonal Staff and Management of parastatals under the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in Kano.

    He said; “Training of youths in vocational trade is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari led administration’s cardinal objective on youth entrepreneurship and job creation. We have relentlessly been pursuing this in order to fully tap into the elastic opportunities provided by investments in blue collar jobs.

    He challenged Nigerian youths to key into the various vocational training programmes of the Federal Government such as the N-Power initiative as well as other artisan and craftsmen training of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment offered by the Specialized Skills Upgrading and Vocational Training Centres.

    According to him, the “Federal Government N-Power Build is an initiative under the N-power job creation scheme planned to develop workforce for a wide range of artisanal jobs in the Construction and housing industry.

    “This would impact on other economic sectors by building the capacity of a critical mass of young Nigerians interested in the construction and housing industry leading to efficient service delivery and increase the number of available job opportunities, reduce unemployment, improve incomes level, poverty reduction and economic vulnerability of unemployed Nigerians.”

    Inspecting an under-utilized facilities at the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in Kano, Sen. Ngige described the situation as antithetical to the change Agenda of the present administration and urged the Kano State Coordinator of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Iliyasu Ahmed to urgently exploit the training capacity at the centre for the benefits of the teaming Kano youths

    “The essence of inter-agency collaboration especially when they are offering the same service is utmost in achieving the purpose for which government created such agencies.  

    “The NDE office in Kano is poorly equipped, though we are planning to do something urgent about this, but here we are amidst expansive facilities at the ITF. A situation where the NDE in the same city cannot take a full advantage of this is not excusable.

    “All the skills acquisition centres across the Federation owned by the states and Federal government must work in mutual collaboration so as to be on the same page in terms of quality of skills, certificates awarded, as well as enable them share in the benefits of inter-agency cooperation. I therefore, expect that in the next few months, I would have gotten a full report on the number of trainees the NDE has brought for different training programmes here.” 

    At the zonal office of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Kano, the Minister frowned at the contributions from the zone comprising Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states, saying it was grossly below its potential.

     He urged the management and staff to be alive to their responsibilities. 

    Placed fourth out of the six zones in the country and with a contribution of about 160 million in 2016, the Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the development, insisting the zone could do much better.

    The Minister charged the agency to reach out to the public, enroll more agencies and companies so as to enable workers benefit from the provisions of the Compensation Act while pledging the commitment of the Federal Government to the welfare of Nigerian workers.  

  • Boko Haram: ITF trains 1,100 youths in Borno

    Boko Haram: ITF trains 1,100 youths in Borno

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained no fewer than 1,100 youths in Borno in various vocational skills, the ITF Area Manager in the state, Malam Aminu Hassan, said on Wednesday.

    Hassan said in Maiduguri during the launch of the fifth phase of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme that the beneficiaries were vulnerable victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

    He said 700 women and 400 men, drawn from the 27 local government areas of the state, were trained by the organisation.

    According to him, the beneficiaries were equipped with skills to enable them generate wealth and become self-reliant.

    The ITF Area Manager said that during the three month training programme, the male beneficiaries were trained in poultry farming, plumbing, shoe making, carpentry and other related trades.

    “The women were exposed to knitting, pomade making, fashion design, shampoo production among other skills.

    “The Fund is partnering with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Borno State Government and Bank of Industry.

    “One of the cardinal policies of the Federal Government is to create jobs and wealth for all Nigerians.

    “Under the scheme, 500 candidates were trained in other states but because of the insurgency in Borno 1,100 were accommodated in the programme,” Hassan said.

    He added that those trained would receive resettlement allowances from the Bank of Agriculture to start their own businesses.

  • Buhari approves appointments for 13 government agencies

    Buhari approves appointments for 13 government agencies

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved new appointments in 13 Federal Government agencies.

    The appointments according to a statement by the Director (Press) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi, include Mr. Joseph Ari as Director-General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) as Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

    Others are Engineer Simbi Kesiye Wabote as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board, while the new Director-General of the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) is Aboloma Osita Anthony.

    Also appointed at the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is Mamman Amadu, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has Barrister Sharon Ikeazor as Executive Secretary, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) National Coordinator/CEO is Princess Akodundo Gloria, Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) new Executive Secretary is Alhaji Ahmed Bobboi, Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority has Umana Okon Umana as Managing Director.

    Others are Sa’adiya Faruq as Federal Commissioner for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) new Chairman is Engineer Usman Abubakar, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau as the Executive Secretary and Yewande Sadiku is the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).