Reps to probe ITF over unpaid students’ allowances

The House of Representatives has said that it was set to probe the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) over unpaid allowances of students who participated in the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) from 2010.

The decision to investigate the finances of the scheme followed a motion on the need to address ITF’s non-payment of SIWES allowances to students by Hon. Kinsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), who decried its management attitude in denying students on training their entitlements.

Chinda pointed out that the fund was established to encourage acquisition of skills needed for manpower training in the country, insisting that it was wrong for the agency not to pay the allowances.

He lamented situations whereby the country was still importing skills from other countries even when money was provided for training of students.

“It is unpatriotic for the ITF or any government agency to deliberately foist hardship on the students by withholding funds that have been released for payment of their SIWES allowances.

“Unless urgent action is taken to check the prevailing sharp practices in the operations of the ITF, students will continue to be ripped off,” he said.

To this effect, the House mandated its Committee on Industry to investigate allegations of sharp practices and fraud in ITF’s operations, especially on the use of its funds.