By Idris Ahmed, Abuja
The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has declared that the most enduring solution to the twin problems of poverty and unemployment is skills acquisition of women and youths.
The minister who made the declaration at the closing ceremony of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) organised by the Industrial Training Fund, stated that beyond skills acquisition, for Nigeria to be truly industrialised, Nigerians have to take the acquisition of relevant and contemporary skills seriously.
Aliyu who was represented by the FCT Director of Youth Development, Mrs. Hajarat Titilayo Alayande, stressed the commitment of ITF to skills acquisition, noting that it remains the most viable and sustainable solution to rising unemployment and poverty that have continued to defy the best efforts of government policies and programmes.
She called on other organisations with similar mandate like the ITF to come together to develop a pool of Nigerians with diverse skills that will take opportunity of numerous openings in the national economy as a result of the policies of the federal government.
According to her, “it has become evident that the most enduring solution to tackling the twin problems of poverty and unemployment is skills acquisition., and for Nigeria to be truly industrialised, we all have to take the acquisition of relevant and contemporary skills seriously.
“I have no doubt in mind that your commitment to skills acquisition is premised on the fact that it remains the most viable and sustainable solution to rising unemployment and poverty that have continued to defy the best efforts of government policies and programmes.”.
The Minister commended the management of the Industrial Training Fund for the training of over 18,000 Nigerians in 2019 Skills Intervention Programmes, adding that the drive to equip as many Nigerians as possible with skills for employment and entrepreneurship in order to create jobs and reduce poverty, was in line with its mandate and the policy objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Earlier, the Director General of Industrial Training Fund, Sir Joseph Ari, pledged the commitment of the organisation in uplifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty, stressing that other upcoming programmes will also turn the fortunes of a number of the beneficiaries and other intervention programmes being implemented by the ITF.
