Unemployment: ITF Commences Training of 11,000 Youths under NISDP

• As scientists, investor advocate use of bio-fertiliser to boost agric

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

As part of its continued efforts to create jobs in line with the policy focus of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has commenced the training of 11,000 youths nationwide under the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

According to the Head of Public Affairs Unit of ITF, Mrs. Suleyol Fred Chagu, the training which commenced on September 18 follows the second phase of the 2016 NISDP that trained 10,000 youths from 18 states.

Chagu said under this phase, 300 youths each from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would be equipped with requisite skills in tailoring and fashion designing, plumbing and pipe fitting and welding and fabrication, adding that all the expected trainees have turned up for the exercise across the 3,700 centres in the country.

She added, “In order to ensure that trainees of the programme realise their potentials and dreams, supporting equipment in the trade areas will be provided to all trainees as starter pack. This is to serve as empowerment to all participants of the programme to set up on their own and boost the entrepreneurial sector of the country.”

While urging all selected trainees to make good use of the opportunity of the training by displaying high commitment throughout the period of training in order to achieve the intended result, Chagu added that the NISDP, which is the hard skills component of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) has equipped over 100,000 Nigerians with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, Chairman, Contec Global Agro Limited (CGAL), a subsidiary of Contec Global, Dr. Benoy Berry and the Chairman Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Nigeria Biotechnology Society (BSN) who is also the Vice Chancellor of Taraba State University, Jalingo, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, have called on both the federal and state governments to use bio solutions and inputs to boost the country’s agricultural production.

Berry made the disclosure while conducting the BSN board members round the company’s tissue culture and microbiological facilities in Abuja, recently.

He explained that using and deploying bio solutions or inputs sourced locally, using microbes and bacteria from Nigeria’s soil, was the safest way to guarantee the country’s food security.
According to him, the global trend of agricultural production is the application of organic fertiliser to boost food production, stressing that chemical fertiliser is gradually being phased out as farm input because of its health implication.

Tenebe and the President of BSN, Prof. Benjamin Ewu Ubi, who were impressed with the state-of-the-art agro solution facilities, commended Berry for investing in the agriculture sector.
Tenebe said: “The executive members of BSN are highly impressed with the performance of Contec Global Agro Ltd. The society is ready to collaborate with the company to further actualise the company’s objective of meeting farmers’ need for high agricultural yield.”

Also speaking, Ubi noted that the application of bio-based innovation to drive food security in the country can be achieved through partnership and collaboration, to upscale science and technology innovation in the country.