Partner ITF to Fight High Unemployment, Says Ari

Joseph Ari, the Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has call on agencies and organisations to partner with the ITF to fight the high unemployment rate and poverty in the country.

Ari, said this at the kick-off Ceremony of ITF-NCDMB Vocational Training programme on Thursday, in Abuja.

In the data recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), it was recorded that the Nigerian unemployment rate rose from 23.1 percent in the third quarter of 2018 to 27.1 percent in Q2 2020 amid the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ari said the absence of necessary skills needed for the industrial operation has heightened the youth unemployment.

He said the high rate of unemployment in the country also contribute negatively to the economy, jeopardised national security and socio-economic development.

Ari also recalled that in 2017, ITF had organised a skills gap assessment survey in the six priority sectors of the economy in partnership with UNIDO, adding that the main objective of the study was to provide information on industrial skills demand, supply and gaps in the country since skills form the bedrock of every country’s economy.

He said having skills alone is not enough to achieve growth both for the country and individual, but making use of the skill will bring development for individuals and the country.

Mariam Katagum, the Minister of State, Industry Trade and Investment, who was also at the event said that President Muhammadu Buhari has identified poverty and job creation as the main priority of this administration.

Therefore, ITF, has fully keyed into it initiative and call on to different partners in order to actualize this policy.