By; MUHAMMAD EL- ADANU
The alleged story of fraud and misappropriation of funds said to be rocking the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), published on Monday, August 1 by African Examiner – an online newspaper, is not only a deliberate mischief, concorted lies and self-serving blackmail but another futile propaganda designed to misinform the general public.
The accusation is misleading to any sensible individual as it is laughable. Like many others before this, it is heading for the bin.
As a Nigerian who understands the import of ITF and the high level of good works the DG Joseph Ari has put in repositioning the organization; the publication deserves scrutiny and objective responses from well-meaning Nigerians.
I wish to use this medium to emphatically state that, the story as reported by the above online newspaper is unfounded, unfair, nauseating and precarious. It is an orchestrated yoman’s job aimed at discrediting the mileages already achieved by the current management of the agency under the able leadership of Mr. Joseph Ari – the Director-General/CEO who has shown uncommon managerial acumen and brilliance since assumption of office.
Nigerians are aware that his leadership came with several commendable positive policies and programmes aimed at bringing sanity to the system and also to meet the targeted goals, mission, vision and core values to the agency since its establishment in 1971.
There is no gain-saying the fact that the story is an attempt to give the dog a bad name in order to hang it. Sir Joe Ari has shown courage in transforming ITF.
History will forever be kind to him for his honest and selfless services to our father land. The success stories of the ITF, honestly is incomplete without his immense and monumental contributions as the Fund has witnessed and recorded more feats under his watchful eyes than any other DG/CEOs of the agency in recent time.
The online newspaper should desist from being a tool used by disgruntled elements to discredit individuals like Ari who are known for their forthrightness. Promoting hard work and excellence of agencies or individuals who have distinguished themselves through sincerity of purpose should be the duty of the online newspaper not a hatchet job.
At this juncture, it is therefore, rife to say that; the allegation raised by the online newspaper is baseless, lacks substance and credibility.
Like a basket, it cannot hold water. The general public should disregard the accusation in its entirety and as a mere wish in the limbo of time. In fact, it is rather unfortunate, as the story is nothing but an outright abhorrence and a fabrication for only God knows why? Sir Joe Ari who is revered and reputable in fighting leakages is not bothered about the unfounded accusation of an unknown and attention seeking online paper known as African Examiner.
ITF has come a long way and now a house household name known for integrity and sincerity of purpose in all its operations not only in Nigeria since inception and should be commended not vilified.
Its statutory functions of adequate training, retraining, wealth creation, self-reliance and the readiness of the Fund’s to launch mass production of android phones which of course is another milestone and many more achievements of the Fund under Joseph Ari’s watch deserves accolades.
At the moment, ITF is putting finishing touches to the processes and modalities that will enable the commencement of mass production of the phones for use by Nigerians. It is part of the Fund’s strategic policy direction for the 2022-2025 period meant to better the lots of Nigerians. Part of it involved the need to widening the capacity of the machines involved in the mass production of the android phones and the final legal framework for the purpose of intellectual property rights .
Recall that in June last year ITF presented a sample of home made android mobile phone to Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari in a brief ceremony in Abuja. Two weeks ago, the assembly plant for the production of phones has now been installed at the Model Skill Training Centre in Abuja. Over 23 million Nigerians that were desirous to work but without requisite skills are the targeted beneficiaries.
The above novel initiative will generate a vast pool of skilled manpower sufficient to meet the needs of the public and private sectors of the national economy. A pool of certified apprentices, technicians and craftsmen, assessors and verifiers as well as an army of certified learning and development professionals and a regulated skills training environment will emerge at the end.
Many companies including Afrione – an Indian company are jostling to partner with ITF in the area of capacity building and it has already signed a memorandum of understanding in that regard.
It is vital to affirm categorically that responsible journalism is one of the cardinal drivers of media organisations which all should strictly adhere to at all times.
Those in the field of journalism profession have to be mindful of their roles as purveyors for disseminating reliable news and information to the heterogeneous audience.
However, as far as responsible journalism is concerned African Examiner is engaging in dark public relations and unprofessionalism in all its ramifications. Many a media houses known for cheap blackmail and drove at gaining unnecessary attention of the general public have lost touch with reality or fizzled out with time.
Many readers will indeed be disappointed in no small measure at this cheap attempt to blackmail ITF. One is also flabbergasted that the online newspaper should rush to publish a story without verifying. Did the newspaper understand the enormity of the allegation and what it could result to? Sir Joe Ari has worked tirelessly to have carved a niche for himself through selfless services.
Junk journalism has currently overtaken the media space. Therefore, it is high time the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) and other regulatory bodies sieved the wheat from the chaff by weeding out quacks from the noble journalism profession and sanction accordingly unruly media platforms with tantrums and primitive dispositions. Henceforth, it is imperative to always be double sure by verifying facts and figures before hitting the news stand.
El-Adanu is a media an Communication Specialist. He sent in this piece from Life camp FCT, Abuja
