AKSG REQUESTS FOR SKILLS CENTRE

Akwa Ibom State Government has appealed to the Industrial Training Fund to site one of its 15 Skills Centres proposed by the ITF to be shared among the 6 geo-political zones in the state.

Receiving the DG of the ITF, Professor Longmas Wapmuk who was visiting the state recently, the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Engineer Patrick Ekpotu said the state was one that valued education, as the living standard of a society rests on the knowledge of its peoples.

He said that it was in realisation of this that the state has placed much premium on educating its people so that they will be better placed to take care of themselves. Appreciating the enormity of the task, he said the state was undaunted as democracy cannot thrive where people were not educated enough to properly understand and analyse issues. He averred that the ITF as an institution has a huge responsibility if it faithfully implements its mandate.

Ekpotu pledged the support of the State Government to the establishment of the Skills Centre. Prof. Wapmuk, in his address requested the State Government to avail itself of the competence of the Fund’s professionals to train the State Government’s workforce. He said already the ITF has submitted training proposals to Ministries and Agencies of the State including the Akwa Ibom Investment Promotion Council, the Local Government Civil Service Commission, Office of the Head of Service and Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Appreciating the support of the State Government as exemplified by the allocation of a parcel of land to the ITF for office accommodation, he disclosed that the ITF had submitted a proposal for the establishment of 15 Skills Centres nationwide, and when granted, one of such centres would be established in Akwa Ibom State.