FG inaugurates inter-ministerial committee on skill acquisition programmes

The Federal Government says it has inaugurated the inter-ministerial committee to coordinate and streamline skill acquisition training programmes of government institutions.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said this in a statement signed by Mr Charles Akpan, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ngige, while inaugurating the committee said the proper streamlining and coordination of these programmes would effectively remove duplication and ensure efficiency and synergy in the use of scarce resources.

The minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Yerima Peter-Tarfa, at the event noted that at present, vocational skill acquisition in Nigeria were unregulated and largely uncoordinated.

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He explained how this had led to haphazard implementation of the programme, with each Ministry, Department and Agency of government carrying out its aspect without recourse to what other institutions are doing.

The minister charged the committee to make recommendations on the streamlining of existing skill acquisition programmes of MDAs.

”You are to come up with guidelines that will regulate the establishment of new skill acquisition centres in the country.

”Also to come up with a Federal Executive Council Memorandum on recommendations that will require government approval.” he said.

Ngige said that government would rely on the recommendations of the committee to refine its skill acquisition policies and strategies in order to chart the way forward.

He noted that uncoordinated and unregulated skill acquisition programmes in the country had led to the turning out of half-baked artisans who lack technical competence to meet the demands of their jobs, among other challenges

The minister enjoined the committee to be dedicated to the task and discharge its assignments conscientiously.

According to him, the committee will  be chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, while membership is drawn from Federal Ministries of Youth and Sports Development and Women Affairs.

Others would be drawn from the ministry of Education, Communication and Digital Economy.

Other members are representatives of National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and  Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN),.

Others include: the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) and Nigeria Employers Consultative Forum (NECA).

Speaking earlier, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Yerima Peter-Tarfa, said that setting up the committee was geared towards achieving the goal of an efficient and coordinated vocational skill development in Nigeria.

He added that it was part of the resolutions of the last National Employment Council held last year.

Peter-Tarfa, was represented by the Director, Employment and Wages department of the Ministry, Mr John Nyamali.

According to him, the nation should not only be interested in the construction of vocational skill acquisition centres alone,  but focus more on ensuring that acquired skills match emerging employment opportunities.

FG inaugurates inter-ministerial committee on skill acquisition programmes