ITF Responds In Defence Of Allegations Against DG Juliet Chukkas Onaeko.

Anonymous accusers have launched an attack on Juliet Chukkas Onaeko the DG of ITF and their allegations board on financial misappropriation.

ITF is officially responding on behalf of its DG in this post.

The Press Release says....

ITF focused on strategic objectives, not baseless, unsubstantiated allegations

 In line with the Change Agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) said it will continue on the path of accountability and sustainable reforms, while remaining focused on charting a new strategic direction for the agency.

This disclosure is coming, even as the agency maintains it will remain unswerving in the course of transparency and responsibility, saying allegations being vended around the organization were being done by disgruntled and resentful elements within and outside the system that were immorally benefiting from the era of the past.

According to ITF, the firsthand thrust of the Fund under the present governance are to facilitate and scale up job creation through the training and retraining of over four million youth annually; match skills development to market industry needs, reposition skills development as an enabler for industrialization and economic diversification and improve the country’s industrial competitiveness regionally and globally through skills development. 

The Director General and Chief Executive of ITF, Dr. Mrs. Juliet Chukkas Onaeko, said to ensure sustainability of the ongoing reforms, that the agency has put in place strategic and calculated pillars which are aimed at achieving internal efficiency.

She identified training and capacity building for staff, training standardization and certification, operational excellence, strategic partnership collaboration and corporate visibility as some of these strategic pillars.

 The DG enlightened that the agency has met its objectives in the four points articulated on her assumption of office in May 2014; some of which are to ensure full automation of the business process of the ITF, achieving 100 percent efficiency in Students Industrial Work Experience (SIWES) administration, training of two million youth annually and achieving 100 efficiency in revenue generation.

“The less than 24 hours delay in the payment of last month’s salaries was to ensure that full automation of the business process and internal systems are working perfectly. This automation will ensure full accountability as well”, she explained.

Refuting allegations made against the agency, the Director General said those claims were ploy by a few disgruntled elements within and outside the organization to distract the ITF’s leadership from executing the positive reforms being carried out.

She noted the need to rebuff what were profoundly  baseless and unfounded assertions is due to the relentless and unceasing campaign of misrepresentation that is being waged by individuals, particularly those that are resolved on curtailing the growth of the organization and moving back the trend of achievements being recorded under the present leadership.

She rejected the assertion that over 400 people have been recruited into the organization in the past one year, saying issues of employment and recruitment into the agency are matters in the public purview that can effortlessly be confirmed from the various departments within the organization.

“The Industrial Training Fund is a Federal Government’s organization that is guided by appropriate guidelines, procedures and code of practice. Is it just conceivable to initiate mass recruitment without receiving all the necessary approvals as mandatory? ”she demanded.

The Director General enlightened that the crusade against the agency was because of the resolve on ensuing due process in the agency’s undertakings; coupled with the financial discipline that has been brought to bear in the operations of ITF; a move that may not have gone down well with definite interests that have been living off and nourishing fat on the agency at the outlay of the government.

She reiterated that the policy thrust of the present administration emphases nil forbearance for corruption, exploitation and dishonesty, adding ITF is determined to uphold the standard already set by President Mohammadu Buhari in his determination to rid the country and public organizations of any smidgen of corruption.

 Sums running into tens of millions of naira, it was noted, have been saved in budget by the Director General due to her farsightedness and financial discipline. Contracts and agreements hitherto awarded at unrealistic cost have been renegotiated downward in favour of the government, while more fiscal judiciousness has been brought to bear in the spending of the agency’s funds. “It is no more business as usual. These amid other issues are certainly why some detractors, falsifiers and rumour mongers are fuming and on the stalk”, she noted.

According to the ITF Director General, “I don’t believe that getting into public office and being exposed to public fund should change me into becoming who I am not. I thank God I was not hungry before taking up the appointment, and even if I was, with my upbringing and belief system, I still do not see myself changing from who I am”, the DG clarified.

*These people flaunting these allegations against her in Mid air should leave this woman alone to do her work...Change is what happened when she took over and they couldnt deal with it...Somebody wants her out of there becos she is standing in the way and preventing them from 'chopping'

I schooled with this woman and she was one of the Richest Students back then,never lacked,came from a sound and well disciplined back ground and would NEVER take what does not belong to her.

Stay strong as always Juliet!