Poor power provision has been identified as the bane of Nigeria’s industrial development coupled with lack of quality manpower.
The declaration was made by the Deputy Director/Area Manager of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mr Akin Akinlotan in an exclusive chat with The Tide.
The ITF Zonal Director noted that the country’s economic problem would be solved if power provision is raised, saying companies expend huge amount in running private power generators.
He lamented that because of poor power provision, lots of companies are leaving, the country to neighbouring counties, where there is stable power.
Once the power problem is solved, Akinlotan declared that companies would be capable of providing jobs for the country’s swelling population.
Aside power, he underscored the need for quality manpower in the industrial sector. He argued that the nation’s industries can only be driven by good and up-to-date workforce which can be achieved by training.
He stated that the ITF was established to fill the huge gap created by lack of adequate manpower through industrial training for all cadre of workers.
Akintola stated that apart from providing industrial manpower, the ITF is also mandated by law to provide industrial experience for young undergraduates in the country.
To ensure that it fulfills its mandate, he explained that a tripartite arrangement had been instituted to prevail on employers of labour, and industries to provide spaces for the students to acquire IT experience in their area of studies in the universities.
Consequently, he explained that ITF pay beneficiaries of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (STWES) stipends to encourage them during the training period.
The ITF Zonal Director advised SIWES beneficiaries to avail themselves of the programme by ensuring that they serve in their area of specialty instead of veering into other fields where they are paid higher.
By serving in their field of study he maintained, students stand to gain in the long run, rather than being distracted by financial gains in the short term.