The Federal Government has commenced the process of replacing foreigners occupying certain positions in some sectors in the country with Nigerians with the requisite skills for such jobs.

Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mr. Joseph Ari, disclosed this at the flag-off of the 2017 National Industrial Skills Development Programme held in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Ari expressed worry at the number of jobless Nigerians, saying that several surveys, including those conducted by the ITF, have revealed that vacancies exist in some sectors of the economy which are currently being occupied by foreigners because of the lack of requisite technical skills of Nigerians.

He noted that ITF conceived the idea of NISDP in its bid to arrest the ugly trend which he added, represents not only a clear and present danger but also threatens the attainment of key government policies.

The DG also said that another aim of the programme is to instil skills in the nation's teeming population, with focus on young men and women, so as to escalate economic recovery and growth.

While delivering the DG’s address, the Area Manager ITF, Awka, Mrs. Chinwe Opara, observed that since inauguration, the programme had trained no fewer than 100,000 Nigerians in over 30 trades and crafts, adding that most of the beneficiaries had become great entrepreneurs and employers of labour.

She said training Nigerian youths to possess technical and vocational skills would help quell the influx of foreigners to the country to take up available jobs.

She urged the trainees to utilise the opportunity provided them to equip themselves with vocational skills to become employable and employers of labour.

Earlier in his address, the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Youths and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Uju Nwogu, commended the Federal Government for its commitment in job creation and diversification of the economy as envisioned by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

She assured ITF of the state government’s willingness to partner it in the training and skill acquisition for the youths in the area.

Addressing the trainees, officials of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) urged them to maintain good standards in their products on graduation, stressing that good quality and consistency were the keys to success.

Update news