As the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), graduates 100 Rivers State youths under the National Industrial Skills Development Program (NISDP) with start up packs, the organisation says it is committed to implementing skills acquisition programme to equip Nigerians with life skills for employability and enterpreneurship.
The Director General and Chief Executive of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, who stated this in his address at the closing ceremony of the graduation of the 2021 NISDP said acquisition of skills would enable them take advantage of the numerous policies of the Federal Government that are designed to boost the economy and improve the standard of living of Nigerians.
Sir Ari who was represented at the occasion by the Director of Business Training Development Department (BTDD), Mrs Adetola urged the graduands to utilise the opportunity provided by the training and the packs to improve their lives and contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian economy and actualisation of the policy objectives of the Federal Government.
The ITF boss appealed to state governments, the Organised Private Sector (OPS), Non Governmental Organisations, faith based organisations, politicians and other stakeholders to collaborate with the ITF in its efforts to train Nigerians.
According to him,” such collaboration could be by way of sponsorship of additional trainees for various skills programmes or by buying start up packs for beneficiaries of the programme.
“It is my belief that only through such collaborations will the fund be able to train as many youths as possible to impact the Nigerian environment and finally solve the problems of unemployment and poverty”, he said.
Ari disclosed that NISDP was initiated in 2016 to not only facilitate the achievement of the Federal Government’s policy on job and wealth creation and breed a new generation of enterpreneurs to transform the economic landscape of the country but above all drive the achievement of the economic recovery and growth.
He noted that since the inception of the NISDP, it has equipped thousands of Nigerians nationwide with skills for employability and enterpre-neurship.
Earlier, the Area Manager ITF, Port Harcourt, Mrs Ifeyinwa Osagie had said the Bank of Industry ( BOI) had been notified about its responsibility in giving soft loans to those of them that meet the requirements for such loan.
Osagie explained that the National Industrial Skills Development Program (NISDP) was basically designed and developed by the Industrial Training Fund to equip the youth, between the ages of 18 and 35 years with the requisite skills, knowledge and attitude needed to create wealth for themselves and the nation at large.
She noted that the ITF has inculcated into these youths a higher value on the right attitude because in the organisation,it believes that the right attitude is what makes one successful in any chosen career.
Some of the graduands who spoke to The Tide commended the training organisation and said they would utilise the opportunity and better their lives and the society.
Ndukwu Ugochukwu who graduated from plumbing and pipe fitting expressed satisfaction with the development and urged the Federal Government to sustain the programme.
Also,Ukonne Chioma Jennifer and Toby Joan Johnson who graduated from Catering and Event Management promised to train others for a better society.

By: Ike Wigodo