ITF, Singapore to Collaborate on Skills Acquisition

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), in Jos, Plateau state and the government of Singapore are to collaborate on possible areas of joint venture development aimed at harnessing the human capital potentials of Nigeria.

H.E. Shabbir Hassanhai , the Singaporean High Commissioner to Nigeria said his Island nation renowned for its high technology infrastructure and  robust economy would assist the ITF to expand its skill acquisition centres in order to harness the potentials of the nation’s youths.

Hassanhai said exploring the potentials of skill acquisition centres in the country would help curb crime.

Professor Longmas Wapmuk, director general of ITF said about N4 billion would be required to establish 25 skill centres to effectively make any appreciable impact.

Professor Wapmuk said the existing skill acquisition centres provide five skill programmes but can offer up to 15 programmes if expanded.

He stated that there was the need for introduction of more programmes at the centre to meet the needs of young Nigerians who want to develop their entrepreneurial skills.

The Singapore High Commissioner said the development of more and effective skills centres in the country would also help in curbing incidence of violent crimes, terrorism, kidnapping and other vices rampant among the youths.

Singapore is a city-state in Southeast Asia, located about 137 kilometres north of the Equator. It consists of one major island and 59 small islands, with a population of about five million.
 
Singapore belongs to the New Industrialized States (NIS), the countries that underwent rapid industrialization from the 1960s to the 1980s. During these two decades, the former British colony managed to attract technology transfers from the developed world as well as sizable foreign direct investment (FDI).