From: Ali Abare, Gombe

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in partnership with the Gombe State Government has commenced a three-month training for the second batch of 500 youths under the 5th phase of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

The training was flag-off, on Wednesday, in Gombe.

In an address at the occasion, Director General of the fund, Sir Joseph Ari, represented at the event by Engineer Isiaka Shehu, Director Technical and Vocational Skills, disclosed that NISDP has trained 84,100 Nigerians in over 30 trades and crafts.

He said the 5th phase of the programme would train 9000 Nigerians, with 500 youth from Gombe aged between 18 to 35 years to be equipped with skills based on selected trades and crafts chosen by the beneficiaries.

Sir Ari while acknowledging the significance of skills acquisition on combating unemployment, reducing poverty, achieving growth and overcoming the prevailing economic recession, lamented that despite the number of Nigerians without work, surveys reveal that vacancies exist in some sectors of the economy that are currently being filled by persons other than Nigerians because of the lack of requisite technical skills.

He announced a four-year plan by the fund, the ITF Reviewed Vision aimed at implementing strategies directly targeted at creating jobs, reducing poverty and placing the nation on a sound path of economic recovery and growth.

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While commending the state government for taking advantage of the initiative, the ITF boss urged the government to provide starter kits for the beneficiaries to enable them become self-employed at the end of the training.

In his speech, acting governor of Gombe State, Hon. Charles Iliya commended the ITF for initiating the programme, stressing that the skills acquisition programme would equip the youth with requisite knowledge to be self-employed and employers of labour.

He enjoined the beneficiaries to take advantage of the training and to conduct themselves well during the programme.

In a welcome address, state Commissioner for Youth Empowerment, Mallam Farouk Yarma, announced the donation of N7.5 m to the beneficiaries who are also expected to receive N5000 as allowance from the ITF while undergoing the training.

The youth are expected to undergo include tailoring, fashion design, carpentry, hairdressing salon, cosmetology among others.