By Golok Nanmwa, Jos

Director General Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mr. Joseph Ari, on Tuesday said the Fund under him has trained 500,000 Nigerian into various entrepreneurial skills .

He also said so far eight giant projects spread across Nigeria have been completed and awaiting commissioning.

Ari said this, at an event tagged: “The transformation train continues,” in his honour by the staff and management team of the ITF, to mark his reappointment, held at the center of excellence in Jos.

“We have trained over 500,000 Nigerians that are today using the skills acquired to earn sustainable livelihoods,” Ari said.

He added that the ITF, has also expanded, completed and commissioned its training infrastructure in Kano, Katsina, Lagos and Jos, which were previously abandoned.

Ari said the Fund has also established six new area offices which includes Lafia, Gwagwalada, Badagry, Owerri Rumoukwuta, and Abakaliki.

He said the achievements made together with management and staff of the Fund, earned him the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari, who graciously approved his reappointment.

“I wish to extend my profound appreciation to President Muhammad Buhari for first appointing me as Director – General and for giving me another opportunity to further contribute my quota to the development of our dear country by reappointing me for another four years,” Ari said.

He further appreciated the supervising Minsters of Industry, trade and Investment Hon. Otunba Adebayo and Ambassador Maryam Katagun.

He said the Management of the fund was conscious of the expectations even before the announcement of his reappointment, and therefore has unveiled the 2nd phase of the ITF Reviewed Vision Strategies for Mandate Actualisation.

Ari said that the plan, which implementation has already commenced and will terminate in 2024, is targeted at rectifying the pitfalls that were observed in the implementation of the first phase, build on the achievements thereof, and directly address emergent challenges of our stakeholders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the plan has nine focus areas namely: Direct Training Services, Revenue Generation and Sustainable Funding, Resource Utilisation, Special Intervention Programmes, Human Capital Development, Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), Research and Development, Automation of Business Processes and other Programmes and Services. “These focus areas will guide us going forward, Our expectation is that in the next four years, the ITF will further escalate and amplify its activities especially with regard to skills acquisition and empowerment of the youths and indigent segments of the society as well as strengthen the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector through need-based training in view of the vital importance of the sector to national growth and development, especially in the light of the economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government.

He said that the Fund will also continue to invest in expanding its infrastructure in order to create opportunities and open up our services to all Nigerians desirous of acquiring skills.

Mr. Ari charged the staff to be more active, effective, resilient and, “work with greater intensity.

“In essence, every staff of the Fund must from resolve to justify their place in the new ITF,” he said.

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ITF has trained over 500,000 persons in 4 years – DG Ari