The Cross River Head of Service, Barrister Ekpenyong Henshaw, has described the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) as a strong partner with government in manpower training and development programme, adding that, the present administration of Prof. Ben. Ayade places high premium on Youth development in the state.
The Head of Service represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, in the Office of the Head of Service, Mr. Emmanuel Enene Eke, stated this in his office in Calabar, when he granted audience to the management of Industrial Training Fund, Calabar Area.
He acknowledged the dwindling fortunes of government finances due to the economic realities of the present time and encouraged the management of the centre to continue with their good works.
He promised the continuous moral support of government to maintain and improve on the standard of successes recorded.
According to Mr. Eke, government wants to train youths that will be employers of labour and not job seekers. He advised the Industrial Training Fund management to look at the local government areas where most of the youths reside, charging them to engage the local government councils chairmen after the forth coming elections and develop a template that would allow youths at the local government benefit from their training.
Earlier in her remarks, the Calabar Area Manager of the Industrial Training Fund, Mrs. Anozie Ifeyinwa, said they were grateful for the privilege accorded them to meet with the Head of Service, adding that, ITF has offices in the 36 States and Abuja with 5 Training Centers across the country.
According to her, the mandate of ITF is training to promote industrial growth, set standard and monitor the response of industries, items of compliance, manage and administer Student’s Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) Development Instrument to cushion existing gaps. Others are, to conduct in-depth diagnostic studies to industries and to collaborate with institutions to organize SIWES programmes.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Manpower Development, Office of the Head of Service, Mrs. Aniedi Ekpenyong expressed strong desire for the ITF to develop a training programme that will enable Civil Servants put their spare time into profitable ventures and how pensioners can add economic value to themselves.
Responding to questions, the Head of Research, Mr. Edwin Etim John informed that ITF previously trains applicants and empowered them with some capital to start up their trade, but experience over the years shows that most of the beneficiaries easily abandoned the scheme and go for luxurious life style which negates the good intension of Government on the scheme.
He stressed that, as a way of addressing the ugly situation, government now attach graduates of the scheme with cooperatives which enables them to obtain loan to start up their businesses. According to Mr. John, Government has much interest in the development of the youths, adding that, the Calabar ITF Area is ready to train and improve the capacity of Cross River State youths to be meaningful to themselves.

Friday Nwagbara, Calabar