Sir Joseph Ari, Director General, Industrial Training Fund.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – If countries like Japan, Germany, Vietnam, Singapore and Brazil could use technical skills to transform into industrial power-houses, Nigeria can do the same.
This was the view of the Director-General, DG, Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Sir Joseph Ari who also advocated increased investment in the construction, agriculture, solid minerals, ICT, manufacturing and service sectors so that the country can quickly build its economy.
Addressing journalists in Jos on Wednesday, the DG maintained that skills acquisition, empowerment and investment in the small and medium scale enterprises are the most sustainable catalyst to economic growth.
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The DG stressed the ITF is repositioned in 2021 to equip Nigerians with requisite skills as the Fund has entered into collaborations and partnerships with local and international organizations to bridge skills gaps in the country.
He stated, “Currently the ITF is in partnership with SENAI of Brazil, Institute of Technical Education Services (ITEES) of Singapore, Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI) in Isreal, International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Agency (NECA), Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Bank of Industry (BoI), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) as well as the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) amongst others.”
Speaking on the partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other organizations, he added, “We consider the partnership with the NYSC very strategic in view of dwindling opportunities for white collar jobs.
“We believe that equipping corps members with technical skills will prepare them for self-reliance after NYSC. The Fund also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to train 23,130 youths in the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT under the Ministry’s Youth Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Programme (YOSDEP) in 22 trade areas.
“Early this year, we also signed another agreement with the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) for capacity building of staff of the Academy and exchange of faculty members for short periods for a greater understanding of different teaching and learning styles within the two organizations.”
Highlighting the ITF’s achievements in 2020 and setting the agenda for 2021, Ari disclosed 2021 is the year of skills escalation for prospering, explaining that the programmes lined up will train about 12,000 Nigerians between three and six months in diverse areas aimed at closing the skills gaps in the country.
His words, “Our emphasis on skills acquisition has been premised on our firm belief that it remains the most sustainable solution to increasing poverty and unemployment, and the catalyst to economic growth and development.
“This year, which we have declared as the year of “Skills Escalation for Prosperity,” we have commenced processes for the implementation of more skills intervention programmes.
“The Programmes earmarked for implementation are namely: the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), the Construction Skills Empowerment Programme (CONSEP), the Skills Training and Empowerment Programme for the Physically Challenged (STEPP-C), the Passion to Profession Programme (P2PP), and the Agri-Preneurship Training Programme (ATP).
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“In all, the programmes will train about 12,000 Nigerians between three and six months in the following trade areas: Web design and programming, Advance Computer networking, Mobile app development, Iron bending, Masonry, Crop production, Aquaculture, Poultry, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration, Plumbing, GSM repairs and Ladies’ wig cap making.”
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On the federal government’s plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years, Ari stated the ITF was among the few Agencies requested by the Federal Government to forward submissions and if his proposal, which is currently receiving the attention of the authorities is assented to, “the ITF will train over 7million Nigerians in the Agriculture, Construction and Facility Maintenance, Information and Communication Technology, Manufacturing and Services sectors between 2021 and 2031.”
“We believe that until most Nigerians are equipped with competitive technical skills, we will, as a Nation, continue to fight a losing battle against the blights of poverty and unemployment and their attendant consequences,” he stressed.
