ITF: No truth in Sahara Reporters alarm against Ari, group tells Nigerians

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) has urged Nigerians to disregard the false alarm by Sahara Reporters and a faceless staff of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) against its Director-General/Chief Executive, Sir Joseph Ari.

The group, at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, said after thorough investigation, it discovered no iota of truth in the claims of nepotism, favouritism and marginalisation against Sir Ari.

According to Secretary-General, Sola Olumese, Sahara Reporters was either misled by the hypothetical staff or is being mischievous in its reportage of events around the ITF.

On the issue of nepotism, the CGG noted that for the first time since the agency’s creation, the management team cuts across all the six geopolitical zones of the nation.

The group further revealed that its research shows that promotion in the ITF is carried out in line with federal character principle without any preference for females as being reported.

It noted that accusations over promotion of women is preposterous and “only goes to show that we are fighting against ourselves, a battle we may likely never win”.

The group also rubbished claims that Ari awarded contracts to his family, noting that it found no tangible proof.

Acknowledging the achievements of Ari, the CGG said the ITF boss has done remarkably well to rid the agency of nepotism, tribalism and the likes.

Under the current management, Olumese said ITF has become more focused, result-oriented, achievement-driven and strategically repositioned in the pursuit of its aims and objectives.

Olumese also said youth unemployment and paucity of critical technical skills for national development has been tactfully and strategically combated, therefore, bringing it to a minimal effect.

The group, however, urged Sir Ari not to relent on his good works, or get dissuaded by actions of different polluted media publications and charlatans surrounding him.

While calling on other agncies to emulate the ITF, the Coalition of Good Governance called on the Federal Government to show more commitment and support in the promotion of technical skills development as a panacea for the nation’s industrial development challenge.