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Skills Acquisition: ITF Seeks Collaboration With States, LGAs, NGOs, Others

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The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has called on States, local governments, Non-Governmental Organisations and faith-based organisations to collaborate with it in efforts to equip Nigerians with life skills.
Director-General (DG),  Mr Joseph Ari, of the agency made the call during the closing ceremony of the 2020 National Skills Development Programme (NISDP) for 105 graduands in Anambra in Awka, yesterday.
Ari, represented by Director of Finance, ITF headquarters, Jos, Mr Stephen Ivarave, said equipping Nigerians with skills remained sure way to end unemployment and check rising cases of banditry, kidnapping and insecurity in the country.
The D-G said that the agency had equipped no fewer than 200,000 Nigerians with various skills since its inception.
“Out of this 200,000 Nigerians, 3,530 were people from Anambra who got employability and entrepreneurship skills,” he said.
Ari said that 5,200 Nigerian youths benefited from the 2020 programme which began in the last quarter of 2020.
He said that the agency had declared this year as ‘Year of Skills Escalation for Prosperity’, saying ITF has earmarked more than 11 skills for implementation.
“Yet again in Anambra State, 105 persons will be equipped in advanced computer networking, plumbing and ladies wig cap making for the year 2021,” he said.
The ITF boss noted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had made tremendous efforts to create jobs and reduce poverty.
“It is apparent that the Federal Government has done remarkably well in reducing poverty and creating jobs and should be applauded even with slight setback caused by Coronavirus pandemic,” he said.
Area Manager, ITF,  Awka Area Office, Mrs Nancy Ekong, said that 105 citizens of Anambra graduated from the 2020 NISDP Programme.
The 105 trainees were trained in three trade areas namely: ICT programme and web design, cosmetology and fashion as well as garment making.
She said that each of the 105 trained persons would go home with starter pack and urged them to make good use of the opportunity to fight poverty and unemployment.
The State Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, Prof. Theresa Obiekezie, who represented the state governor, advised the beneficiaries to use the skills to create jobs.
Obiekezie warned the beneficiaries against selling their starter packs, saying “anyone who sells the pack given to him or her will have the father’s land sold by government.”
She urged the beneficiaries to put the training into use as that was the sure way to grow the state’s economy.
Beneficiaries, Ngozi Okafor and Patience Onukafor, on behalf of others, thanked the Federal Government for the initiative and promised that they would make good use of the skills to create jobs.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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