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Fed Govt committed to lifting Nigeria out of poverty, says Trade Minister
By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Otunba Niyi Adebayo has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is committed to lift the country out of poverty and unemployment through its policies.
The policies, according to the minister, include the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the Economic Sustainability Plan and the various support schemes for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sectors of the economy.
Adebayo spoke at the 2020 Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Merit Awards ceremony at its corporate headquarters in Jos, Plateau State.
He hailed the ITF for equipping the youths with requisite skills and trainings that could take the country out of poverty and further generate unemployment, adding that the scorecard presented depicted that the fund has not relented in its efforts to effectively discharge on its mandate.
The minister, who was represented by a Director in the ministry, Mr. Samuel Alabi, however, said one agency that has been at the forefront of these efforts is the ITF.
He added that it has become a dependable ally of the Federal Government through the implementation of several skills intervention programmes that have trained over 500,000 since its Director-General, Sir Joseph Ari, assumed office in 2016.
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“It is for this reason and in appreciation of its contributions to national growth, that the Council for the Development of the Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo rewarded the ITF with the prestigious Award of Excellence as Outstanding MSMEs Clinic Star Partner and the Award for outstanding contribution to the development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria respectively. It was also for its contributions that it was made a member of the MSMEs Council, which is headed by the Vice President and member of the MSMEs Survival Fund under the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan.
“It is equally noteworthy that the ITF has been mentioned and identified by the Presidency as the foremost agency of government at the forefront of Federal Government’s job and wealth creation policy. The fund was among the few agencies requested by the Federal Government to forward submissions on the best approach to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty,” he said.
He urged the ITF management not to relent in empowering Nigerians with technical skills, but to train more Nigerians and by so doing, etch the name of the ITF in gold and called on state governments, non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to collaborate with the ITF to tackle the challenges of poverty and unemployment that is bedevilling the country.
The fund’s Director-General said ITF was among the few agencies requested by the Federal Government to forward submissions on lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
According to him, if the proposal, which is currently receiving the attention of the authorities is assented to, the ITF will train over 7 million Nigerians in the agriculture, construction and facility maintenance, information and communication technology, manufacturing and services sectors between 2021 and 2031.
He added that the fund has declared the year 2021 as “Skills Escalation for Prosperity,” and has commenced processes for the implementation of more skills intervention programmes.
