By YUSUFU IDEGU, Jos –
The Director General and Chief Executive of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari has said Nigerians would soon enjoy drastic drop in the price of Android Smart phones across the country’s markets.
Sir Ari , who noted this in a statement signed by the Director Public Affairs of ITF, Suleyol Chagu in Jos on Friday, said that ITF is about to flood Nigerian markets with the Nigerian brand of phone.
The Nigerian made Android GSM smart phone has already been presented to president Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock ealier in the week.
According to the statement, “The phone which is powered by is comparable in quality to any other brand of Android Phone in the world and was assembled by the ITF Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC), Abuja, as part of the implementation of the vision of the incumbent Management of the ITF with particular emphasis on research and development”.
“The ITF Mobile Phone was produced with 100 percent locally sourced material. And for me, this breakthrough is proof that given the enabling environment and opportunities, Nigerians will unleash their creative potentials”, Ari said, adding that “in terms of quality and performance, our phone is comparable or even superior to most Android phones currently in our markets”.
He further disclosed that plans were afoot to commence mass production of the phone preparatory for introduction into the market.
“Plans are at an advanced stage to ensure commencement of the mass production of the smart phone, making it available and affordable, which in turn will expand the GSM phone market and create more jobs in the process.
“We are presently putting processes in place with the relevant regulatory agencies towards quality assurance, legal framework and intellectual rights amongst others. Our vision is to create a mass production hub that will churn out products that will be available to all Nigerians”, he said.
While commending the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for its policies of encouragement of innovation and creativity and for its initiatives that gave birth to this breakthrough, he appealed for increased funding for the ITF to ensure full actualisation of its mandate.
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