NDE Disburses Facilities To Beneficiaries Of Agricultural Enhancement Scheme In FCT

By Otobong Gabriel, Abuja

As parts of its strategic steps to addressing the rising rate of unemployment in Nigeria, the National Directorate of Employment, Federal Capital Territory has flagged off the orientation for the Provision of facilities to 48 NDE trained beneficiaries of the Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (AES) to enable them establish off-farm agribusinesses.

Director General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo said the flag off is running simultaneously in fourteen (14) states of the federation including FCT, with seven hundred (700) beneficiaries to enable them start up their off-farm agribusinesses in their chosen areas of interest to become self-employed, create wealth and generate employment opportunities for others.

The NDE boss who was represented by Mrs Chikodi Ike said the Directorate has been in the forefront of sensitizing, counseling and reorienting the minds of unemployed youths to deemphasize the search for nonexisting white collar jobs and embrace skill acquisition provided by NDE as a viable option to wage employment and equally as a deliberate choice to self reliance. And advised beneficiaries to see this gesture as a rare opportunity which should not be allowed to fail.

Also speaking, the NDE-FCT state Coordinator, Mr. Chimereze Noble said NDE federal capital territory is given out facilities to 48 beneficiaries across the six area councils of the FCT to enable them turn their acquired skills into viable agribusinesses that will not only make them self-employed but also employers of labour.

And advised beneficiaries not to undermine their humble beginning, that little drops of water makes a mighty ocean, and reminded them that, its a loan facility that they're expected to upset  so that others can also benefit.

In her goodwill message, the Deputy Director Rural Employment Promotion REP department, Oruoyehu Beatrice ably represented by Mrs Harris Oliver said the REP department has been generating employment opportunities for the unemployed youths in Nigeria through its strategic training programmes in modern agricultural skills and empowerment in agribusiness engagements.

Adding that, the program trains unemployed youths in agricultural value chain activities such as production, storage, processing, post harvest handling and management, preservation, packaging, marketing, agricultural extension, rural sociology and off- farm activities as well as other innovative and technological driven skills in agricultural sector.

Representing the beneficiaries, Mr. Chukwudi Kalu Joseph thanked the the leadership of NDE for the opportunity given them through the facility and promised to make good use of it to build their agribusinesses and create wealth for themselves and others.