The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in Nigeria, Sir Joseph Ari says plans are at an advanced stage to ensure commencement of the mass production of its smart phone, making it available and affordable.
The DG, who spoke on after the formal presentation of the ITF Mobile Android GSM smart phone to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that the move will expand the GSM phone market and create more jobs in the process.
In a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs Department, Mr Suleyol Chagu, the DG said the ITF mobile phone, which was comparable in quality to any other brand of Android Phone in the world, was assembled by the ITF Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC), Abuja.
“The ITF Mobile Phone was produced with 100 percent locally sourced material. And for me, this breakthrough is proof that given the enabling environment and opportunities, Nigerians will unleash their creative potentials”, Ari said, adding that “in terms of quality and performance, our phone is comparable or even superior to most Android phones currently in our markets,” Sir Ari stated.
“We are presently putting processes in place with the relevant regulatory agencies towards quality assurance, legal framework and intellectual rights amongst others. Our vision is to create a mass production hub that will churn out products that will be available to all Nigerians”, he added.
The ITF boss commended the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, and his counterpart, Ambassador Mariam Yalwaji Katagum, for providing qualitative leadership that has unleashed innovativeness and creativity of agencies and parastatals under the ministry.
While also commending the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for its policies of encouragement of innovation and creativity and for its initiatives that gave birth to this breakthrough, he appealed for increased funding for the ITF to ensure full actualisation of its mandate.
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