Asaba
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) yesterday stated that it had trained about 11,100 youths across the 36 states of the federation and provided them with starter packs to become successful entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
The Fund’s Director-General/Chief Executive, Mr. Joseph Ari, stated this in Asaba, Delta state, during the closing ceremony of the national industrial skills development programme.
Ari, who was represented by the Deputy Director, ICT, Mr. Dickson Onuoha, said the programme was as a result of committed and relentless efforts of ITF in line with the mandate and as the contribution to the federal government’s policy of job/wealth creation and poverty reduction.
He said: “Today’s event marks a watershed since we commenced implementation of the NISDP as we have taken a step further from merely training and equipping the youths with knowledge and skills, to providing them with starter-packs to enable them setup their businesses and hit the ground running.
“The trainees we are graduating today were trained for three months in two trade areas, tailoring and fashion design and welding and fabrication. The trade areas were carefully selected based on their potential value addition to the individual trainees and to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.”
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the occasion said his administration had trained and empowered over 2000 youths in the state through job creation programme.
Okowa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Joyce Overa, appealed to the Delta state beneficiaries to make judicious use of the starter pack provided by ITF so as to become great entrepreneurs.
