The Director General of the Industrial Training Fund ITF, Mr Joseph Ari has called on the general public to disregard any campaign poster with his pictures vying for any political position or canvassing support for aspirants under any political party.
Mr. Ari stated this while briefing Journalists at the Plateau State Nigerian Union of Journalists Secretariat in Jos.
Ari said, since his appointment as the Director-General/ Chief Executive of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), he has invested all energies in ensuring that the institution achieves the vision and aspirations of its founding fathers.
“Under my watch, the Industrial Training Fund has hit lofty heights, fulfilling its onerous mandate of developing the Nation’s human resource, while also partnering the Federal Government to actualise the objectives of the President Buhari Administration especially with regard to poverty reduction, job and wealth creation. Under my leadership, the ITF has been at the forefront of instilling in Nigerians the need for the country, like other developed nations of the world, to embrace Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a real alternative to paper qualification and white-collar jobs, and the most sustainable solution to the seemingly intractable problem of unemployment and poverty, he said.
He said even with the little achievements, just recently, some unscrupulous elements who were bent on pulling him down printed campaign posters suggesting that he is aspiring for an elective position, and also canvassing support for the aspirations of some candidates that are vying for elective positions in the All Progressive Congress (APC) upcoming National Convention.
“I have also been reliably informed that these disgruntled elements plot to flood the convention venue with these posters in order to breed mistrust and disharmony and thereby generate rancor for their own selfish purposes as I have never contemplated and not contemplating on vying for any elective position in the nearest future, as I am presently busy and fully engaged with the onerous responsibility of deploying the mandate of the ITF to equip Nigerians with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.”
He urged the public to therefore, disregard any campaign poster to the effect that he is running for any elective positon, or in support of the ambition of any candidate during the upcoming APC convention as it is false, unfounded and not deserving of any attention adding that the matter has been reported to the security agencies for further action.
Mr. Ari advised mischief-makers and their sponsors to desist from the ungodly act and learn to celebrate the gift of others.
Dominica Nwabufo
