When recently all roads led to Uyo for the formal inauguration of the Nigerian Institute of Training and Development (NITAD), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, the question on the lips of participating guests, mainly the intending members of the Institute, was: “Will this new institution come to change the economic fortunes of the people of Akwa Ibom, already known as civil service state?”

Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the institute, Mofesola Akinbanji, who performed the inauguration, attempted to answer that question in her address that eventful Wednesday, January 28, 2015. She explained that NITAD “is a professional body of (L&D) practitioners in Nigeria, to promote the science and practice of training, learning and development” of human race in the nation.

The professional development activities of the institute, she stated, “are aimed at facilitating the exchange of knowledge, skills and experience of those engaged in training and development and achieving a better utilisation of human abilities/potential in business, industry and government.”

Akinbanji said further that “the institute promotes international interaction and exposure of its members through affiliation and co-operation with the International Federation of Training and Development Organisation (IFTDO), American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), United Kingdom.” She pointed out that NITAD “is currently having more than 10,000 individual and 1,000 corporate members.”

The services rendered by NITAD are said to be recognised and supported “actively” by its patrons, listed as the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Centre for Management Development (CMD), Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) and Office of Establishment and Management Services at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.

The Chairman of the eight-member pioneer committee of the new Chapter, Mr. Ini Ubong, in his address, expressed the hope that “this is the beginning of a partnership that would be mutually beneficial” and expectedly enhancing the manpower needs of the state. He expressed gratitude to their members and intending ones for their cooperation and commitment to their activities that accounted to the success of the inauguration.

Ubong told them: “Your enthusiasm so far gives me the hope that the days of apathy by some of our people, to being members of professional bodies are over. It is our prayer that you will sustain this spirit of cooperation to ensure that the chapter succeeds in its programmes. This is critical as we all have to contend with the challenge associated with promoting efforts.

Our focus shall be to expand the membership base of the Institute in Akwa Ibom State and we shall embark on aggressive sensitisation of all stakeholders and potential members, to create awareness about the Institute and its activities.”

It was however, the belief of the participants at the inauguration that “if all these assurances and promises are religiously implemented, the new chapter will be of immense benefits to the economic potentials of Akwa Ibom State and her citizens.”

News Express, which witnessed the inauguration, reports that the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Patrick Uko, Provost, College of Education, Afaha Nsit, enjoined Akwa Ibomites to embrace the opportunity and enroll in the programmes of the institute.

On his part, the Guest Speaker, Elder Nnamnso Umoren, a retired Permanent Secretary and first Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, defined and extensively elaborated what “Training and Development” are all about.

•Photo shows Dr. Patrick Uko.