From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adebayo said President Muhammadu Buhari’s Federal Government is committed towards diversifying the country’s economy to fight poverty and unemployment.
Adebayo stated this on Thursday at the 2020 Merit Award ceremony of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), held in Jos, Plateau State.
“The commitment of the Federal Government to diversify the National economy and put it back on the path of growth has never been in doubt.
” Through policies including the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the Economic Sustainability Plan and the various support schemes for the MSMEs sectors of the economy, the Federal Government is determined to doing all it entails to lift the country out of poverty and unemployment.”
He applauded the Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph Ari for harnessing manpower and resources towards impacting requisite skills in the realization of Federal Government’s dream of empowering Nigerians.
“I am not entirely surprised by the information as achievements that have been recorded by the ITF in recent times could not have been serendipitous but based on critical analysis and careful planning.
” I must commend the Management and staff of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for the enormous work it is doing in ensuring that Nigerians are equipped with requisite skills, while also building its capacity to effectively deliver on its Mandate.”
The Director General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph Ari said the Fund remitted N5.5 billion to 401 companies as reimbursement for 2019.
He said the reimbursement was carried out in line with their Act after the Governing Council satisfied that the training programmes of the employer were in accordance with the Fund’s Reimbursement Scheme.
“In the year under review, a total of Five Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Five Naira, Twenty Seven Kobo (N5,499,821,645.27) was paid to 401 companies as reimbursement for year 2019.”
He said incumbent Management of ITF has since assumption to office worked zealously towards fulfilling the mandate of the Fund.
Ari explained that ITF has also worked earnestly towards ensuring the successful payment of Students’ Industrial work experience Scheme (SIWES).
‘The Fund ensured the payment of students and supervisory allowances. In all, One Billion, Eighty-One Million, Nine Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Naira (N1,081,945,000.00) was paid as Student allowance while One Hundred and Fifty-Six Million, Three Hundred and Nine Thousand, Five Hundred Naira (N156,309,500.00) was paid as supervisory allowance between January 2020 and December 2020.”
He expressed strong commitment to prompt payment of students and supervisors’ allowances as soon as money is received by the Fund from the Federal Government.
