By Egufe Yafugborhi

PORT HARCOURT – THE Industrial Training Fund (ITF) says its growing commitment to skills development is driven by the realisation that it is the most effective tool for addressing rising unemployment and poverty in Nigeria.

Director General (DG) of the ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, noted this Tuesday in Port Harcourt at the presentation of certificates and starter packs to 120 Rivers state youths trained in Hair Dressing, Aluminium Fabrication, and Solar Power Installation to close the Fund’s 2022 National Industrial Skills Development
Programme (NISDP).

The 120 beneficiaries were among over 4000 Nigerians the NISDP equipped with skills including Tiling and Laying of Interlocking Blocks, Plumbing and Pipefitting, Hair Dressing, Aluminium Fabrication, and Solar Power Installation.

Represented at the occasion by Mrs Ngozi Emefiele, Director, IT Department, Sir Ari stated, “NISDP has equipped over 500,000 Nigerians nationwide, over 20,000 from Rivers, with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.

“We believe given the intensity and very practical nature of the training, 80% practical and 20% theory, they (latest beneficiaries) were equipped with the necessary skills and attitudes for them to thrive as employees or as entrepreneurs.”

Other empowerment programmes of the ITF Ari listed include the Women Skills Empowerment Programme (WOSEP), Construction Skills Empowerment Programme (CONSEP), Agri-preneurship Skills Empowerment Programme (AgSEP), Skills Training and the Empowerment Programme for the Physically- Challenged (STEPP-C).

The Area Manager, ITF, Port Harcourt Area Office, Mrs. Ifeyvinwa Osagie and other stakeholders present charged the beneficiaries to grow their various skills and the equipment received into successful businesses that will empower others, warning strongly against any of them selling their starter packs.