ITF Approves N2 Billion For SIWES Allowance

The sum of N2,094,407,000 has been earmarked by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF),  for the disbursement of student and supervisory allowances under the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) in 2019.

ITF Director-General, Joseph N Ari said this during the 2019 ITF merit award ceremony held at the ITF headquarters said this in Jos.

“In the year under review, ITF disbursed N2,094,407,000 as students and supervisory allowances; of this N1,645,454,000 as students allowances to 142,462 students from 325 tertiary Institutions and N448, 953,000 was paid out as supervisory allowances,” Ari said.

He noted that despite the challenges confronting the Fund, ranging from under appropriations in the face of the soaring number of participants as a result of the establishment of new institutions, the Fund remains unwavering towards handling the situation.

Read Also: “We Did Not Banish Emir Sanusi” ~Kano Govt

He added that the Fund has equipped Nigerians with technical skills to take over existing vacancies in the country that are being filled by non-Nigerians.

He said, “A skills gap survey of six priority sectors of the national economy, which was conducted by the ITF and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), showed that vacancies existed in four sectors: Services, Agriculture, Construction and Transportation that were in some cases being filled by non-Nigerians because of the absence of Nigerians with the requisite technical skills.

“To prepare Nigerians to effectively take over these sectors, beginning from 2016, the Fund initiated a number of skills acquisition programmes particularly targeted at these sectors.

“Through these programmes, thousands of Nigerians who are today earning sustainable livelihoods as paid employees or as entrepreneurs that are even employing others were equipped with skills in diverse trades.”