Gyang Bere, Jos
The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph N Ari, said the Fund is battling criminality and other security challenges in the country using skills acquisition.
He said it will be difficult to divorce unemployment from the needless incidents of violence that have claimed thousands of lives across the country.
Ari disclosed this during the closing ceremony of the 2019 National Skills Development Programme (NISDP), held in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
He said: “Our commitment to skills acquisition is premised on the fact it remains the most viable and sustainable solution to rising unemployment and poverty that have continued to defy the best efforts of Governmental and non-Governmental approaches.
“There are countless reasons for us to worry as Government, and as Institutions vested with the arduous task of equipping Nigerians with the life skills for employability and entrepreneurship. There is no doubt that unemployment has wrought terrible damage on all facets of our national life.
“It will be difficult to separate rising criminality and harmful social vices that are being perpetrated by Nigerians due to unemployment and the attendant poverty.”
Ari said NISDP has equipped over 200,000 Nigerians Nationwide and 15,000 with skills for employability and t in Plateau.
He said for the last quarter of 2019, 11,000 Nigerians were equipped with skills in 9 trades among others are leatherworks, welding and fabrication, catering and event Management, tiling, production and laying of interlock tiles, Furniture making, domestic electrical wiring and installation, solar energy installation, plumbing and pipefitting, and beauty care.
The DG noted that 350 youths were trained in Plateau State in different skills and said the training was .ore of practicals than theory.
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, represented by his Deputy, Prof Sonni Tyoden, appreciated ITF for the vibrant Programme in curbing unemployment in the country.
He assured that the Plateau State government will continue to increase the number of their trainees to create wealth and employment opportunities among the youths.
The Area Manager, Industrial Training Fund, Jos Area Office, Khadijatu Sani Mudi, said the Fund is committed to ensuring that youth unemployment is reduced.