138 benefit from NDE agric loan scheme, training in Plateau
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) says 138 people in Plateau State have benefited from its loan scheme and training programme in agriculture.
The Director-General of NDE, Malam Abubakar Fikpo, stated this while declaring open the training and orientation programmes for beneficiaries in Jos on Monday.
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The 2022 Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme (SADTS) of its Rural Employment Department (REP), was also declared open in other states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Represented by Mrs Blessing Onwu, a Principal Rural Employment Promotion Officer of the organisation, Fikpo said that SADTS was one of its programmes aimed at stemming unemployment and creating sustainable livelihood for youths.
“In its bid to generate rural employment and improve income through agric business engagements, the REP department has embarked on this training for 3,700 participants.
“This is in all the 36 states and the FCT at 100 participants per state,” he said.
He said the training would be in the areas of production, processing, storage, packaging and marketing across the value chain of agriculture.
The NDE boss urged the participants to abide by the rules of engagement of the two weeks training.
Fikpo said that many beneficiaries of the different loan schemes were selected based on their performance in their various training programmes.
He said over N136 million had been disbursed for the implementation of its loan schemes in the 36 states and FCT.
The DG said this was under the Sustainable Agricultural Development Scheme, Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme, Agricultural Enhancement Scheme and the Community Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme.
Fikpo said the various loan schemes were aimed at boosting already existing agribusiness.
“The loan repayment is very flexible with a tenure of three years and a moratorium of six months,’’ he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the state Coordinator of NDE in Plateau, Malam Ibrahim Abdulaziz, told the beneficiaries to make the best use of the opportunity given to them.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Bala Italia thanked NDE for the empowerment scheme and assured the organisation of the proper use of the loan facility and its repayment.
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