The presidency has given an Award of Excellence to the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for equipping over 500,000 beneficiaries of its entrepreneurship and skill acquisition programmes who have either set up their own business or have been absorbed by the various sectors of the economy.
The director-general of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari who received the Micro Scale and Medium Enterprises (MSME) clinic award at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, described the award as a very great one.
Ari expressed joy that the ITF has been found worthy to receive the award adding that it shows also that “we are in the right direction to empower the people, to create jobs and particularly empowering them with skills.”
The DG said from 2016 till date, they have been able to equip and empower Nigerians with requisite skills for employability and entrepreneurship numbering over 500,000.
According to Ari, “that is good enough, mark you the industrial training fund sits on survival fund of the federal government as the chair of monitoring and evaluation and so in the course of tracking and monitoring to see those who have benefited and who have equally demonstrated capacity in advancing the course of the sector.”
He said that more than 80 percent of beneficiaries have either set up on their own or have been absorbed by the various sectors of the economy.
He added that this is laudable and the direction to go to equip Nigerians with skills and to create job opportunities for Nigerians.
“I will like to appreciate the fact that we have been identified to receive this award, I appreciate the leaders, the MSME clinic right from Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
“Like John Maxwell would say leaders who know the way, do as the way would direct and so for me and the Industrial Training Fund, we would like to dedicate the award to the people for giving us the opportunity to serve the fatherland,” he said.
The ITF’s boss also described the award as “a very historic moment,” emphasizing that the MSME sector is the largest job creator in any part of the world and that Nigeria was struggling as a nation on account of unemployment. He added that one sector that would really drive employment opportunities is the MSME sector.
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