The Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) has strongly condemned criticisms leveled against the Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) programme of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), describing such attacks as baseless and politically motivated.
Speaking at a press conference held in Abuja, ASNAT National Coordinator, Mr. Adeshina Akinyemi, said the SUPA programme, currently being implemented under the leadership of ITF Director-General, Dr. Oluwatoyin Afiz Ogun, has significantly contributed to the upskilling and productivity of artisans and technicians across Nigeria.
Akinyemi dismissed recent allegations by a group known as Concerned Citizens Advocates for Institutional Accountability, which had labelled the SUPA initiative as fraudulent and accused Dr. Ogun of mismanagement.
“We find it very hard to believe that some enemies of progress would label the SUPA programme a monumental fraud or attack the integrity of the Director-General. “The claims by this faceless group are not only false but malicious. It is clear that they are acting on behalf of a former ITF Director-General who is aggrieved over his loss of influence,” Akinyemi said.
He added that the artisans have benefited directly from the programme, which aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
Akinyemi called on the President, the National Assembly, and the general public to disregard what he described as a smear campaign and instead focus on the success stories recorded under the current ITF leadership.
“We pass a vote of confidence in the SUPA programme and rate the ITF ‘A1’ for its effective execution. We urge the government to stay focused on impactful initiatives like this that support economic development,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, ASNAT Lady President, Mrs. Jaiyeola Olatunji, revealed that 100,000 artisans have already been trained under the SUPA programme, with the next phase of training set to begin next week.
The National Secretary of ASNAT, Mr. Bari Moses, emphasized that the purpose of the programme is to elevate Nigerian artisans to meet global standards, while Mr. Mohammed Oshioke, representative of the National Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), FCT chapter, urged the government to support trainees with start-up funding.
ASNAT reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the ITF to advance the development of the artisan and technical workforce in Nigeria, and called on all stakeholders to support the initiative for national growth.