Amb. Mariam Katagum, has commended the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) for creating the Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP) for Nigerian youths.
Katagum, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment gave the commendation in her remarks as the Special Guest of Honour at the virtual ITF-NECA Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP) Stakeholders’ Dialogue Forum and Awards Ceremony held at selected locations nationwide, in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
According to her, the TSDP of the Buhari led-administration has created enormous opportunities for Nigerian youths to become productive in employment and entrepreneurship.
The minister said that the ITF-NECA’s TSDP was conceived to tackle the challenges of unemployment, underemployment and restiveness among the youths in Nigeria by providing opportunities to acquire requisite skills for self and national development.
“Since conception and in conjunction with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the project has created enormous opportunities for Nigerian youth to become productive in employment or entrepreneurship.
“Conscious of the competing demands and pressure on lean government purse, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has always encouraged its agencies to engage in Public-Private Partnership.
“This is increasingly effective strategy for drawing together the resources and know-how that are needed for public benefit.
“While familiar with the vision and mission of the Project, my participation in this ceremony has further enlightened me on the fact that the beneficiaries of the project cut across the six geo-political zones of the country.
“I am most delighted that over 90 per cent of these youths are immediately snapped up by industry for employment, while others set up on their own.
“This attests to the high quality and standards of the training,” she said.
Katagum expressed delight for being part of the occasion to celebrate the achievements and impact of the TSDP in the lives of Nigerian youth.
She said that the change that the country desired was for the youths to have a better standard of living by equipping them with requisite life skills to get them economically engaged leading to the reduction in social vices.
The minister commended the ITF-NECA collaboration for the initiative and urged them to continue the good work and not relent in their efforts to build a better and more economically viable Nigeria
She therefore congratulated the awardees for being worthy of these awards and urged them to be diligent and focused as they grow to become great entrepreneurs in contribution to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.