From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Director General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph Ari said the Fund has been reposition towards addressing daily challenges of increasing unemployment and poverty among Nigerians.
He noted that if the challenges of unemployment and poverty is not contained, it will land the country in bad shape.
Ari disclosed this on during the 50th year Anniversary of the ITF, held at the fund headquarters in Jos.
“It is obvious that the Industrial Training Fund has done remarkably well in 50 years of it existence, a quick scan of the next phase of our life as an institution.
“The problem of unemployment remains as intractable as ever despite the multifaceted efforts of Government . Recently, surveys including one conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicates that rather fall, the number of Nigerians that are unemployed, particularly the youths, had continued to soar.
“According to NBA, unemployment rate rose from 27. 1 percent in Q2, 2020 to 33.3 percent in Q4, 2020. Similarly, like unemployment , the problem of poverty has also or been fully tackled as it has witnessed a marginal rise as 40 percent or 83 million Nigerians currently live in poverty, a figure that is projected to increase to 90 million of 45 percent by 2022.
“If these are not contained, our population which is projected to hit the 400 million mark by 2050 according to Rotary Action Group for Reproductive Maternal and Child Health (RMCH), will become a real albatross if concrete efforts are not invested in tackling these blights.”
He noted that the fund has trained over 500,000 Nigerians with cutting-edge technical skills in 4 years.
Ari noted that the beneficiaries were all empowered with start-up packs for the first time since the establishment of the fund.
Special Adviser to Plateau State Governor, Nde Ezekiel Gomos who was the Guest Speaker said ITF has done very well in equipping Nigerians with skills acquisition.
He advised Federal Government to unify agencies with who are saddle with the responsibility of impacting Nigerians with requisite skills with a view to reducing poverty among Nigerians.