600,000 youths trained on skills acquisition – FG

The Federal Government said it will continue to collaborate with the private sector towards ensuring industrialization and inclusive growth through skills and vocational training for the teeming Nigerian youths. The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan made this known during ITF – NECA Stakeholders’ Dialogue Forum and 2023/2024 Outstanding Trainees’ […]

The Federal Government said it will continue to collaborate with the private sector towards ensuring industrialization and inclusive growth through skills and vocational training for the teeming Nigerian youths.

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan made this known during ITF – NECA Stakeholders’ Dialogue Forum and 2023/2024 Outstanding Trainees’ Awards Ceremony in Abuja.

He said various reforms and interventions are already being put in place by the present administration towards encouraging the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, job creation, youth development and economic development.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite who described the Skilled Up Artisans, SUPA programme of ITF as one of the laudable programmes of the present administration on training and youth empowerment said her Ministry would continue to support initiatives aimed at keeping Nigerian youths off the street through skills acquisition and vocational training.

She, therefore, stressed the need for more public private sector collaboration in reducing unemployment and making the youths self-reliant towards combating crimes in the society.

In his remarks, the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, Dr. Oluwatoyin Afiz – Ogun said, “60,000 youths have so far benefited from the Technical Skills Development Project, in the last sixteen years through ITF – NECA partnership.,”

Afiz – Ogun said the TSDP stands as a testament to the power of collaboration between Government and the private sector because for over sixteen years the partnership has yielded positive results by nurturing creators, problem solvers and nation builders who are reshaping Nigeria’s industrial and economic landscape.

Earlier, the Director General of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, Mr Adewale Smart who said the beneficiaries of the TSDP programme were trained in thirty five trade areas noted that the project has led to the upgrade of some federal educational institutions across the country.