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From John Adams, Minna
The Director General and Chief Executive of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mr. Joseph Ari has attributed the rising incidences of Banditry and other criminal activities in parts of the country today to the country failure to apply the appropriate measures that would have turned the country swelling population to a veritable advantage.
The Director General who was speaking in Minna on Monday at the graduation of the 2021 National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) and the distribution of start-up packs for 100 beneficiaries, said that unless the youth of working age are engaged in productive activities and their potential fully utilized, they become huge potentials for social and political instability in the country.
The Director General who was represented at the occasion by Engineer Kennedy Dapel, the Director ICT at the ITF maintained that the neglect of the youths when tied with the increasing number of out of school children, unemployment and poverty, “the portents for our dear nation are bleak and darker times ahead”.
He however pointed out that “it is not all doom and gloom going by the policies and programmes that the Buhari administration has been implementing since 2015, which have empowered organisations such as ours to initiate and implement skills acquisition programmes like the NISDP, which graduation we are witnessing today”.
He disclosed that the NISDP was initiated in 2016 to not only facilitate the achievement of the Federal Government policy on job and wealth creation and breed a new generation of entrepreneurs to transform the economic landscape of the country but to drive the achievement of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
He pointed out that Since the inception of the NISDP, it has equipped thousands of Nigerians nationwide with skills for employability and entrepreneurship, adding that “This phase of the programme, which the closing ceremony is taking place today, commenced in the third quarter of 2021. The training lasted for three (3) months. In all, at least 3,905 Nigerians were equipped with skills in two trade areas namely, Catering and Event Management and Plumbing.
According to him, “In Niger State, 100 youths were trained in Catering and Event and Plumbing and Pipe fitting.
Earlier, the Area Manager, Minna Area Office, Gyan yohana Davou call for the support and collaboration of state government, Non governmental organization towards youth empowerment and development in the country.
He pointed out that it is only through investment in skills acquisition and a raft of other economic reforms that the youthful workforce be can be gainfully engaged.
The highlight of the occasion was the presentation of start-up pack to the 100 graduating youths, trained in catering, event management, plumbing and pipe fitting.
