Writing By Khadijah Aliyu; Editing By Godwin Duru
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering artisans and technicians from the grassroots to meet national and global standards, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, stated this while declaring open the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) Zonal Rally held in Kano State to create awareness of the programme across the North-West region.
Dr. Ogun, who was represented by the immediate past Zonal Director of ITF, Alhaji Muhammad Aminu, explained that the SUPA initiative is aimed at transforming artisans’ skills into sustainable livelihoods, ultimately turning them into employers of labour.
He noted that the programme focuses on restoring dignity to skilled work and equipping artisans with relevant competencies that form the foundation of a strong and productive economy, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Earlier, the North-West Zonal Director of ITF, Dauda Mshelizah, said the SUPA programme has recorded remarkable success since its inception.
He explained that the training targets artisans across a wide range of trades, including electrical installation, plumbing, carpentry, tailoring and agriculture.
He added that beneficiaries were selected based on merit and posted to accredited training centres.
Mshelizah also emphasised the need for beneficiaries to cascade the skills and knowledge acquired to others, as a means of driving national development.
In her remarks, the Director of Technical Skills and Vocational Training at ITF, Mrs. Nancy Ekong, said the programme was designed to upgrade artisans to international standards, promote talent export, and enable beneficiaries to contribute meaningfully to their communities as employers of labour.
According to her, each artisan enrolled in the programme receives a stipend of ₦10,000, stressing that commitment and dedication by participants are critical to achieving the desired outcomes of the initiative.
Some participants, including Salim Abdulqadir and Abubakar Saleh, who spoke to Radio Nigeria, described the programme as timely and impactful, noting that it exposed them to new networking opportunities, partnerships and professional engagements.
Other stakeholders at the event included the Coordinator of the Bayero University Kano (BUK) Centre for Entrepreneurship Skills, Professor Kofar Mata; the Coordinator of the Dangote Ultra-Modern Skills Acquisition Centre, Alhaji Alkasim Hussein Wudil; and heads of various skills acquisition centres across Kano State.
Khadijah Aliyu
