The Director General of the fund, Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, disclosed this on Wednesday in Asaba, the Delta State capital at the opening of the 16th Management Retreat of the fund. But she did not give details of the indebtedness.
Chukkas-Onaeko said the failure of contributors to promptly remit their training contributions could hamper the fund's efforts to meet the task given to it by the Federal Government to train two million Nigerians every year.
She said already ITF has trained more than 35,000 young people all over the country in the National Industrial Skills Development Programme component of the National Industrial Revolution Plan.
"However, the manpower requirements of the Federal Government's Transformation Agenda requires that we should do more," she said.
The ITF DG said while the fund would not relent in providing its own service to government and the private sector, government and the private sector should know that they have to support the fund.
Chukkas-Onaeko said the Asaba retreat was organised to get its management staff to embrace change as an effective means of improving performance.
"Our ability to succeed as a corporate body is dependent on our willingness to accept change. As leaders in ITF, you are expected to be at the forefront of this change process," she said. The theme of the retreat is,
"Mastering the Art of Leading Change."
The retreat was declared open by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, who represented the Delta State Governor, said the state identifies with ITF's social and economic empowerment programmes.
He demanded that ITF should sensitise the people more about its NISDP programme, which appears to be addressing poverty alleviation and capacity building of youths.