By Yakubu Busari, Jos
Fresh facts has emerge from the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) ,as how the former deputy governor has been accused of plugging secret plan to blackmail and become the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) director general through cheap propaganda.
A group of ITF Union members in a press statement made available to our correspondent in Jos, accused Plateau state especially the former and one time Minister of Science and Technology Mrs Pauline Tallen of sponsoring some ITF union members against the Director General.
It is gathered from the Union members that although she has tried in vain to convince APC stakeholders that the whole idea was motivated by the patriotic desire for a better and a greater nation, Nigerians are not entirely fooled into believing the former Minister of science and Technology, as a dark cloud of suspicion is seen to have generally encompassed the skies of the national interest Mrs Juliet has proving to be a good manager of ITF.
Her hideous ploy to execute a hidden parochial agenda ,so how does this ploy play out and how does Plateau people benefit from this agenda ,when appointed as minister she provide scholarship to only Shendam LG indigents to study abroad ,even when she served under the Jang administration she piloted and finance PDP to fight the government.
The Former deputy governor has been fingered to be responsible in the act of sponsoring some union members to cause disaffection and hatred by blackmailing the Director General, Dr Mrs Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko which may lead to her dismissal from office for to takeover.
The group slammed the former deputy Governor, Dame Pauline Tallen of sponsoring the Union members to cause rift between the management and the director general.
It was alleged that Mrs Tallen whose close romance with the wife of President -Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari want to use her connection to blackmail and remove the DG.
Our source revealed that, Amb. Fidelis Tapgun and his sister Miss Josephine Tapgun in the past brought Prof. Sambo Wapmuk whose tenure expired last year
A call has been made to the incoming administration to maintain Dr Mrs Juliet who have reposition and transformed ITF in achieving a lot of programmes.
It is regrettable that this is taking place at a time the Director General has put all her effort to move the agency to increase and reduce employment ,For example ITF has provided 1.6 million employment in training them into various skills acquisition.
However, this act of sabotage is described as the most painful when women affirmative action is working tirelessly to improve on their participation in bringing good governance.
Since the establishment of the Industrial Training Fund on 8th Oct,1971 Dr Juliet has proved that she is remarkable developer in the history of Nigeria Economic and Educational development all over the 36 states including Abuja .
The Fund under her trained many youths on skills acquisition which is in line with degree 47 in controlling of the industrial and commercial sector of the economy.
However, Nigeria currently faced with acute unemployment and poverty. The desire by government to woo foreign investors will be meaningless without indigenous skilled manpower. Current downturn in the economy requires training intervention to re-skill and up-skill the youth to fit into new and existing jobs. The ITF under the leadership of Dr Mrs Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko in 2014 trained 237,561 Nigerians from 5,815 organisations; 704 special intervention programmes were implemented and out of which 202,560 Trainees secured gainful employment. 16,211 Nigerian Women benefitted from specialised intervention programme and another 83,050 students participated in the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme. The Juliet Chukkas-led administration also trained 1000 youth each from the 36 states of the federation and federal capital territory.
The current administration has upgraded the bandwidth of the Fund’s communication system to serve current resource requirements, just as the ITF Library has been digitized and revenue and reimbursement portals established.
Juliet Chukkas also entered into collaborations with Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria for the training of 4000 Artisans, Wavecrest College of Hospitality for revamping MSN Culinary Dept. , Nigeria Institute of Builders, Shell Petroleum Development Company, strengthened collaboration with NEW and expanded the ITF/DVT (Germany Chamber of Crafts and Commerce) to train apprentices in line with Germany dual system. The administration in 2014 graduated the first batch of MSTC Trainees, reviewed and secured approval for a new staff regulations and conditions of service.
As it is the fund is currently engaging relevant stakeholders on training and effective implementation of the Fund’s mandate, as well as sensitising Nigerians on the need to transit to non oil economy.
At the ITF Staff School, Juliet Onaeko expanded existing facilities at the secondary arm, commenced and completed sinking of borehole and construction of overhead reservoir for the school. Capacity building for Teachers being accelerated, just as computer laboratory is equipped with modern computers and the school environment well beautified, with painting and decoration of classrooms and installation of quality boards.
NOTE: The incoming administration has a lot to gain from the ongoing repositioning of the ITF by Dr Mrs Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko as the skills needed to drive the anticipated reforms will be readily get erased by the ITF. Juliet Onaeko needs commendation for her untiring reform of the ITF system.
