Why we’re training 100,000 artisans across states — FG

The Federal Government has promised to train 100,000 artisans across the country, through the Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) programme in order to meet up with international standards.

Oluwatoyin Afiz Ogun, the Director-General (DG) of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), who stated this on Tuesday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, while declaring open the Association of Nigeria Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) Southwest/Ondo State Secretariat, said the SUPA programme aims to bridge the skilled manpower gap in Nigerian industries by upskilling both existing and aspiring artisans.

According to him, “the programme, SUPA wuld reach all artisans across the country so that artisans from other countries will not be taking out our jobs.

“We are ready in ITF to support our artisans, and to lift you up to international standards. The programme given to us by the Federal Government, Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) programme, it’s a very robust programme, we have done the foundation last year, we have trained over 29,000 of non artisans to become artisans.

“This year, we are about to start and we are training about 100,000 artisans. The training this year is to strengthen the skilling up of our artisans to international standards. Our President, Bola Tinubu wants to make sure that artisans in Nigeria would be able to meet up with their colleagues all over the world.

“He (Tinubu) has promised to take care of you artisans, and he is doing that exactly right now. With this programme; SUPA, our President has said that every artisan in Nigeria is his candidate, that all of them would be touched and this would be the first time in the history of Nigeria that a President will remember the artisans.

“I want you all (artisans) to support the programme and stand behind the President and the ITF that is pushing the programme.

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“The President wants to remove quackery amongst the artisans, all the artisans will have their own practicing license, there would be dignity in labour, it’s now left for our artisans to support the programme, SUPA.”

Afiz Ogun, therefore, commended Tinubu’s led Administration for taking steps to upgrade Federal and State Technical Colleges across Nigeria as part of comprehensive reforms aimed at equipping young Nigerians with globally competitive skills.

Adesina Akinyemi, the National Coordinator, Association of Nigeria Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) said the benefits of the Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) programme would go a long way for artisans in meeting up with other colleagues all over the World.

Sobande Oyeleye, the Assistant Coordinator of the Association in Ondo State, said the essence of the programme was to let the whole World know that the Association had been recognised by Federal Government, equipping the members of the Association in order to meet up with international standards, calling on his co-artisans to key into the skill up programme.