By Muhammad D. Eibo
Those “who live in glass houses do not throw stones” , as a “man with rotten teeth must chew with caution.”
For the sake of continuity and the preservation of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) which you are all stakeholders and benefactors , please allow Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun Director-General /CE ITF, to settle down for the job he is appointed to do by His Excellency, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to contribute his quota to the growth and the success of the Fund, like other DG/CEOs who have come and gone for good.
It is pertinent to address the Pull him Down syndrome (Ph.D) in Nigeria civil service. In fact, it is too early for this unnecessary distractions or is it the usual ways in Nigeria to “give a dog a bad name in order to hang it?
Haba! These faceless individuals have failed woefully on arrival as the DG/CE ITF , Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun is too busy and deserves your unalloyed support and respect to take the agency to the next level based on his unwavering commitment and the workings of the Fund.
It is obviously laughable allegations which any serious minded individuals wouldn’t take those fabricated lies seriously for very obvious reasons because, ITF has strong financial discipline base and procedures for spending and it is reputable for its financial accountability and prudence spending over the years. Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun has not done anything out of place or ordinary that requires this unhealthy distraction in all ramifications.
However, it is also crucial to separate facts from opinion, truth from falsehood and logic from emotions.
Like I have stated before, those who live in glass houses do not throw stones.
Permit me to put the records straight on the issue of recruitment exercise done recently. Can we recall the banner headline or the the petition amplified by Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Director of Muslim Rights Concern MURIC where he cited irregularities and one -sided Recruitment exercise done which favored one religion than the other before the coming of this accomplished Professional and an Administrator per excellence who has thrived excellently abroad before coming to the ITF, Dr Afiz . So, the big question begging for an answer is where were these faceless and unrepentant beings all these years when the unusual happened under their noses?
Why do people forget so quickly in life? And in Unionism it is solidarity forever. So, please let Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun be. He has done anything differently wrong, in fact, he deserves commendation based on the positive policies witnessed within the shortest time at the helm of affairs.
It is pivotal to educate for these faceless individuals acting ignorantly and ignominiously that for whatever narration to learn and get informed
The Director-General, Dr. Afiz Ogun is working tirelessly as the DG/CE who operates an open door policy of welcoming constructive criticisms not just on mere emotions whatever connotation and denotation that will not be tolerated no matter what and who is behind the scenario.
While everyone has a right to express their views, it is crucial to separate facts from misinformation and fake news which government law enforcement agencies frowns at and it is punitive under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is a norm in Nigeria, whereby the DG/CE can give appointment to those who can add values to the system, so the Appointment of a Special Adviser
is not unusual for a DG to appoint advisers, especially individuals with proven experience who can provide valuable insights. ITF is one among several agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria and all over, Chief Executives have appointed aides and assistants to help them in the discharge of their duties efficiently.
Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, Director -General ITF understands perfectly his huge tasks and he is doing fantastically well since assumption of office with grandiose of commitment.
It is the prerogative of the Chief Executive, and it is up to him to choose anyone he deem- fit as his aide. For avoidance of doubt, this is not the first time such appointments have been made in the Fund. Even mischief makers would recall that a former DG resumed with a Special Adviser, a Personal Assistant and a Secretary. Two of these appointees are still in the Fund till date. No one chose any of those aides for that DG or any other DG in the various government agencies.
More so and worthy of note is the issue of Staff Redeployment and Transfers which is a normal exercise where proper placement is done based on the exigency of duty for effective and efficient service delivery and actualization of the Fund’s mandate.
Firstly, it is clear to all that the transfer of staff was not an arbitrary decision, it is to engender versatility and expertise. As civil servants it is a known fact that no staff of any government agency has the right to choose for him or herself where to serve. The decision of where to serve especially as Heads of Departments, Units, Area Managers or Heads of Sections in all arms of the Fund is made by the Leadership.
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Let it be on record that, In the history of ITF, this is the first time that people have been promoted in their numbers to leadership roles without undue influence, favoritism under the able, capable leadership of Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun so kudos to the DG/CE!
ITF shouldn’t operate like political organization or an annex of any organization as observers noted with heavy hearts in the recent past.
ITF’s core activities are field based, yet a disproportionate number of staff were concentrated at the Headquarters.The new DG took collective steps to ensure a more balanced distribution of human resources which should be applauded for a job well done.
ITF is not a regional agency but a Federal Agency owned by all Nigerians and contributed to by all Nigerians. To imagine that ITF is the personal property of any region, state, tribe or religion is mischievous. Under the current leadership, recruitment has been conducted in a manner that ensures a more equitable distribution of employment opportunities across all regions.
We all know before now how several Deputy Directors had been in limbo without the hope of ever becoming Directors before retiring. The creation of new Departments and Zonal Offices was therefore not an act of random expansion but in fact a deliberate effort to provide growth path for ITF senior staff. A sane person without mischief as a goal would applaud this and celebrate it. ITF now has 26 functioning and performing Directors and the Fund is now structured to bring its services closer to Nigerians.
Some States previously had little or no ITF presence, and this restructuring was aimed at ensuring the Fund fulfills its mandate more effectively by providing manpower for the companies/industries that pay the training contribution in the first place.
On the DG’s Travels and Expenditures the claim of “extravagant” spending and frequent air travel is misleading and unfounded . The authors are also terribly ignorant of ITF’s own Staff Regulations and Conditions of Service.
The DG by law is prohibited from traveling by road and should in fact travel by flight (First or Business Class) while Directors are to fly economy.
The present DG did not draft the Staff Regulations and Conditions of Service and he is obligated to comply with it.
Another lie and falsehood spread by these unrepentant individuals that, the DG has acquired several cars. Meanwhile, the same people kept mum when the former DG left office with the choice cars acquired by him during his time. This DG was left with rickety cars with zero book value. Yet, the DG resumed with his own car and used this for several months before a single official car was bought for him for use in Abuja.
The faceless authors once again lied to drive a wedge between ITF staff and its leadership.
By the way, just in the same manner, official cars have been bought for Management and some Area Offices to replace old cars. Yet the authors did not complain about this.
On ITF’s Financial Commitments ITF Management, unlike many government agencies that we interact with on a daily basis, has paid all staff entitlements and benefits till date. This is despite running its activities and not being indebted to any one to the best of my knowledge via investigations.
The general public should disregard this misleading and unfounded allegations in its entirety as the DG/CE is focused on positioning the agency to where it deserves to be not propaganda.
However, on the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA), ITF, should be applauded because, when one takes a walk on the streets today, we hear people discussing ITF SUPA program as a god-sent government initiative that has saved their lives and put food on their table. SUPA is a lifeline to many people today and even tomorrow.
It is an affront to any right thinking person by these mischief makers in their attempt to talk down on SUPA which is one of the most impactful initiatives by ITF in years.
Not only are the artisans who participated through online registration real, over 29,000 of them have since graduated in the Foundation phase.
The Training Centers which are duly accredited are not only real, many Nigerians Journalists inclusive visited them during the training exercise and they were guided through the process of obtaining payment.
In fact, the ITF staff conducted the Training Center accreditation exercise and Artisan verification exercise. How can anyone
who knows ITF and works in the Fund say that SUPA is a scam?
Most intriguing is the fact that the new SUPA platform was wholly built by ITF ICT Department to add values to the range of trainings befitting Nigerian needs.
ITF belongs to us all as Nigerians and we would not sit idly by and watch a few disgruntled elements with a clearly selfish and parochial agenda derail and polarize the Fund.
ITF is an Enabler for all to work and grow like others
Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun is working diligently and assiduously towards the actualization of the Fund’s mandate and deserves encouragement and encomiums not castigation by any in whatever guise.
ITF is rising and like every time change comes it is never easy yet it is necessary especially for a knowledge-based and intellectual organization like the Fund to embrace change. We won’t let detractors dim our light and destroy the efforts being made to transform the Fund so far.
On this note I wish to reiterate categorically that, no individual has the monopoly of pull-down syndrome. As responsible person, I want to advise for calm and tranquility to enable the present DG/CE settles down and work as he should.
Let me at this juncture educate
the general public from being polluted by the antics of these unrepentant individuals who are hell-bent on tarnishing the good image of Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun’s long years of personal development at the national and the international landscape that, the DG is determined and focused and should not distracted in any way.
Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, has shown purposeful leadership since assuming the mantle of leadership at the Industrial Training Fund, ITF as DG/CE and he is focused on bringing in sanity and poised on taking the agency to next level in alignment with Mr. President’s Renewed Hope agenda of jobs and wealth creation for all Nigerians.
Muhammad a media and Communication Specialist sent in this piece from Life-Camp F C T, Abuja