Estimated reading time: 10 minute(s)
Sodiq Mojibola
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has stated that violence, criminality and other social vices reccuring in recent times will escalate if Nigerians are not delibrately equipped with essential skills for job creation and growth.
Bearing that the proliferation of the population could be of merit to the nation, it could however be disadvantageous of the population is unemployed and not equipped with the skill necessary for sustainability.
Director General of the ITF, Sir, Joseph N. Ari, who spoke at the 2022 Interactive Forum For Stakeholders In Ogun State, disclosed that the prevalence of unemployment still persist despite Government best efforts.
In his words, “surveys and estimates by various institutions revealed that despite the government’s best efforts, unemployment was still on the rise.
“Other projections suggestwd that the country’s population was expected to hit the 500 million mark by 2050, making it the thrid most populous country on earth.
“Much as accelerated as the population growth could be an advantage, it becomes huge disadvantage and a severe dead weight where the population is neither employed or equipped with the requiskte skills for sustenance.
“And if the current unemployment rate is responsible for the high incidences of violence, criminality and other social vices that are rampant today, it would be safe to conclude that such incidences would conceivably escalate exponentially, if delibrate actions to equip Nigerians with competitive skills for creation and growth are not taken.” He stated.
Adding that the Fund has a mandate to provide and encourage skill acquisition, provide training for the acquisition, set standards for the sectors and to evaluate and certify the skills acquired.
He added that the mandate for implementation of the plan which was set in motion in late 2016 will terminate by the end of 2022, expanded existing skills acquisition programmes and introduced new initiatives.
In his words, “I am pleased to say that, it has almost exceeded by training over 250,ooo Nigerians, who are today earning sustainable livelihoods as paid employees, or as entrepreneurs that are employing others.
“To achieve this, we expanded existing skill acquisition programmes and introduced new initiatives. These programmes include the National Skills Development Programmes (NISDP), the Women Skills Empowerment Programme (WOSEP), Passion to Profession Programme (P2PP), the Construction Skills Empowerment Programme (CONSEP) among several others”. He stated.
In light of the foregoing, Sir Joseph Ari charged the State Governments, private sectors, politicians and stakeholders on creation of job and skill acquisition to tackle unemployment in the country.
He said, “I wish to emphasize that tackling unemployment through skills acquisition cannot and should not be the responsibility of the ITF and other agencies of the Federal Government alone.
“The cooperation and collaboration of all State Governments, the Organised Private Sector (OPS), Politicians and other stakeholders will be critical for a multiplier effect.” He submitted.
“It is vital that Nigerians appreciate that the Federal Government and it’s agencies cannot provide jobs for all Nigerians. Indeed, no country whether developed or developing has ever achieved that. Instead, the resort has been to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which is roay described as the currency of the 21st century.
“It is the only way to ganfully engage as many Nigerians as possible. However, for this to happen, the current perception of skills acquisition as a preserve for the never-do-wells, the poor and the wretched in our society must be changed.” He submitted.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
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