It started like a ‘Parastatal B’ in 1971, by 1981, 10 years later, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) became ‘Parastatal A’ and has over the last half century undergone different trajectory under successive leadership. In these years, it never had happened that a new Director-General/Chief Executive Officer would be showered with praises or commended so highly in less than one year in the office. The case with the recently appointed honcho in charge of the agency, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun appears a different experience entirely worthy of emulation. When his name was mentioned as a replacement of the erstwhile Director-General, not many, especially staff of the agency could imagine such remarkable milestones in a space of few months. Today, the song on the lips of every staff of the agency is that of accolades and encomiums on a man they described as a change-maker.

“In the area of staff welfare, the Director-General has been trying a lot, as a father. He ensures that staff are being promoted to different cadres, and of which we are grateful…”

“It is 255 days already since the assumption of office of the new Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, and is already yielding fruits. Upon resumption, the Director-General emphasized on improved efficiency and productivity through working smart rather than working smart. And so far…it is evident that it is already yielding fruits. This strategy has empowered us to work ‘smart’, rather than working ‘hard’ towards improved revenue generation for the ITF.”

“By putting his words to action, the Director-General approved for this ‘Digital Skill’ workshop to hold and participants have been empowered with digital administrative skills to work smart.”

“The Director-General has also brought a new phase of life to Nigerian artisans with the implementation of the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) programme to train and certify them to meet international standard.”

“Today marks the 255th day that our own Director-General, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun has been in the office. You have heard it all… He came with strategic leadership. He came with improved welfare. He came with an enabling environment for all staff. We are all happy.”

Above were some of the submissions of the staff of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) who recently finished a one-week intensive training on Digital Skills, Digital Marketing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence among others in Jos, Plateau State. The training which held from Monday, June 24 through Friday June 28, 2024 was aimed at capacity building to improve skills of the participating staff in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and a redefined vision of the Chief Executive that would ensure that workers within the agency work smart rather than work hard.

Dr. Ogun over the months has not left anyone in doubt as to the quality of leadership he has brought into the agency in the space of eight (8) months. For him, his goal is woven around ‘Total Quality Leadership’ – TQL, and he has his eyes fixated on the ball, to achieve even more than he sets out to achieve. One of such ebullient milestones is his proposed plan to train and up-skill 20million Nigerian artisans over the next 3 years that will be able to compete with their counterparts across the globe. The training and re-certification will equally come with improved revenue generation for the agency, and by extension, the country.

For him, a motivated workforce is an efficient workforce with high productivity. His decision to improve the quality of life of the workforce is intentional. With quantum experience acquired in and outside the country – Nigeria, he understands that workers’ motivation is key, not only to high productivity but also quality delivery of job schedules. Dr. Ogun is sure not going to treat with levity, workers’ welfare. For him, they are sine qua non to his planned reforms within the agency, and to achieve visible results.

For ITF workers under Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, hope is renewed!

OMOGBOLAHAN L.A. BABAWALE
Public Affairs Analyst
Convener/Lead Resource Person
The Think-Tinubu Initiative (3TI)
riches.babs@gmail.com/officialczar2@gmail.com