ABUJA – The Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr Juliet Chukkas-Onaeto, on Monday said the Fund was indebted to its partners to the tune of N8.5 billion.
Chukkas-Onaeto made this known at a news briefing in Abuja after a media tour of the fund’s Model Skills Training Centre in the city.
She said that the liability was N10 billion in May, 2014, when she assumed office as chief executive officer of the fund, adding however, that her administration had already defrayed N1.5 billion of the figure.
“At the moment we are left with a balance of N8.5 billion liability to pay our partners,’’ she said.
On the benefit of four ITF training centres in the country to the economy, she said that they were established for the training of manpower to make up for industrial skills deficit in the country.
According to her, ITF has the capacity to provide the needed human resource for the industrialization of the country.
“The people we train here have been tested and confirmed to possess the right skills and knowledge to manage any industrial challenge.
“In fact, we train specialists and we are urging all stakeholders to support what we do in the various centres.
“All the modes were carefully selected to match the current global industry demand, including machine fabrications, installations and trouble-shooting of all sorts,’’ she said.
Chukkas-Onaeto said that the centre in Abuja required more equipment as existing laboratories and workshops in it were in dire need of latest machinery.
The centre runs training programmes on mechanical maintenance, industrial automation, electronic building management and Java programming as well as internet application, among others. (NAN)
