From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
The Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr Afiz Ogun, has said that the organised private sector has a responsibility to join the agency in training efficient manpower for rapid national development.
Ogun spoke in Aba, Abia State, at the closing ceremony/ distribution of start up packs, to graduands of 2023 National Industrial Skills Development Programme. The ITF in collaboration with beverage giants, Nigerian Breweries, during the exercise, provided training for 195 selected women and youths, from Abia North, Central and South Senatorial Districts.
Ogun, represented by Stephen Ivarave, Deputy Director of Finance, ITF headquarters, in Jos, Plateau State, said the private sector training collaboration, would rapidly develop Nigeria’s human resources for greater output. He further called for the formation of cooperative societies by the trainees, according to their areas of skills acquisition in other to help themselves and mobilise more funds for greater impact.
According to him, “the federal government is determined to reduce unemployment through youth empowerment programmes.
“The nation needs to expand local and national access to its unique resources, through the use of modern technology and enthronement of new culture,” he posited. Aba Zonal Manager of the ITF, Nwigboji Nwafagu, in his opening remark, said the intervention programme, commenced in the second quarter of 2023, with the
participants trained on improved skills, knowledge and attitude to thrive as employees and entrepreneurs, in order to meaningfully contribute to the development of Abia and Nigeria as a whole. He urged them to become bold and determined to succeed in their areas of training as well as good ambassadors of the ITF. Corporate Affairs Manager (South) of the Nigerian Breweries, Ekele Eze, said the collaboration with ITF was meant to empower Nigerian youth as entrepreneurs.
Eze, while thanking the Fund’s management team, disclosed that the NB Plc empowerment project started in 2020 in the belief that no business succeeds without empowering its community of residence. He advised the trainees to continue to learn and embrace new challenges to survive and succeed.