ITF paid N1bn students’ training allowances in 2021

Mr Joseph Ari, CEO of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has said that the fund paid more than $1 billion to 87,537 students as training allowances in 2021.

Ari revealed this at the fund’s 2021 Annual Award of Merit ceremony on Wednesday in Jos, adding that the sum was Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) and supervisory allowances.

He said that among the beneficiaries were university students, as well as students from polytechnics and faculties of education.

He said that given its integral role in the training of students of Engineering, Technology and other related disciplines in tertiary institutions, the ITF gives priority attention to the management of the scheme.

Ari assured the public of the fund’s commitment to the timely payment of student and supervisor assignments, “as soon as the money is received from the Federal Government.”

In his remarks, Otunba Richard Adebayo, Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, praised the ITF for implementing various intervention programmes, life-changing skills and other initiatives.

He said that they had empowered thousands of Nigerians with the skills needed for employability and entrepreneurship over the past six years.

The minister, who was represented by Ndakoko, the Director of Policy, Planning, Research and Statistics, called on the fund to keep up its pace of transformative activities.

He urged state governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and well-meaning Nigerians to work with the ITF to combat poverty and unemployment.