Cross River State - ITF Flags Off 3rd Phase Industrial Skills Programme in Calabar

[CrossRiverState]

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), has flagged off the Phase three of its National Industrial Skills Development Programme for 1,000 Youths of Cross River State.

At the Ceremony in Calabar, Director General of the Fund, represented by ITF Area Manager, Mr. Olu Oluwasemire said the training has become necessary in view of high level of unemployment prevalent among youths in the country.

He said between January to August, 2013, a total of 23,000 Youths have so far been trained in 23 States of the Country, at the rate of 1,000 youths, per state and FCT.

The Flag off of the Programme in the State, he said, marked the commencement of the third Phase of the training which he explained, was scheduled to be implemented in 13 States, namely, Cross River, Delta, Nasarawa, Osun, Rivers, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

A breakdown of the total number to be trained in the Phase, Mr. Oluwasemire said, shows that 13,000 of the Youths were to be trained in Technical and Vocational Skills, as well as, entrepreneurship, for three months.

For Cross River State, he said, Government had identified four trade areas for the Youths to be trained, namely, Cell Phone repairs, Plaster of Paris (POP) Production, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Welding and Fabrication.

"It is expected that majority of the graduates of the programme will start up their own business, while some will be employed in various sectors of the economy, thus readily becoming potential members of various Business Organizations (BMOs)".

"In the same vein, as partners in the implementation of the training, the Bank of Industry (BOI) was to help provide the graduates access, to 'Start Up' loan facilities, while the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), was to provide the graduates the entrepreneurship development and training skills.

"The Programme is not geared towards provision of tools and equipment or capital but rather, skill acquisition for self-sustenance and employment". He said

"Furthermore, a database will be generated, while a yellow Book on the graduates will be published regularly. This will guide prospective employers and clients in making informed decisions about utilization of their services. He maintained.

"The databank can also be used to create business networks among the graduates to help them generate more, value through synergy and access, business development support, particularly finance, collectively"; he explained.

He hoped, however, that, the programme which was in collaboration with the State Government and other stakeholders would help Mop-up unemployment and facilitate the actualization of the Federal Government Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:2020.

Flagging off the programme in the state on behalf of ITF and Cross River State Government, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, who represented the Commissioner of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Egwu Otu Egeh, Praised the Federal and State Governments, for the initiative, assuring that it would go a long way to reducing unemployment rate in the Country, assuring, however, that, the Youths of the State were desirous of acquiring Skills that would position them to be job creators, rather than job seekers.

He charged the Youths to be reciprocate the Government's gesture by taking the training seriously.

In his comments, the Ntoe of Ikot Ansa, Calabar, Ntoe (Dr) Patrick Oqua, urged the Youths to appreciate the opportunity by improving themselves and talents given to them by God

Source: ITF Flags Off 3rd Phase Industrial Skills Programme in Calabar