The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), on Wednesday, flagged off the 2024 Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme in Birnin-Kebbi where it’s to train 50 indigenes of the State, on sustainable agricultural practices.
Addressing the participants drawn from the 21 Local Government Areas of the State, the Director General of the Directorate, Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, stated that the Hon. Minister of Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, who is also the supervising Minister of the NDE has made it possible for NDE to promote Agriculture as a business and attract unemployed Nigerians into modern agriculture.
Malam Fikpo, who was represented at the flag-off ceremony by the Kebbi State Coordinator, Mr Francis Ambianto Amos, explained that the Directorate has been carrying out its responsibilities through sensitization, counselling, deradicalisation and reorienting the minds of unemployed youth to deemphasize the search for white collar jobs and embrace skills acquisition as a deliberate choice for self-reliance.
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“Today, we are here to flag off the training of 1,850 participants under the 2024 Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme, (SADTS) across the 36 States of which 50 Kebbi Indigenes are here. Prospective participants are drawn from the Local Government and Senatorial districts.
“Let me remind the participants to see this gesture as a rare opportunity which should not be allowed to fail, with the training you will be empowered in modern agricultural activities including off-farm activities and life skills you be able to overcome the challenges of your immediate environment.
“This training provides you with the opportunity to acquire the knowledge required to set up your agribusinesses, you should therefore justify this effort by putting in your best to succeed as agriprenuers. NDE attaches very high premium on this initiative due to its multiplier effect for job creation,” he said.
Earlier in her goodwill message, the Deputy Director of the Rural Employment Promotion (REP) Department, Mrs Beatrice Oruoyehu, represented by Mr Joshua Fagbemi, stated that the training was designed to impart agricultural skills along its value chain to unemployed persons with a passion for agriculture.
She noted that the training will create employment and generate wealth that will go a long way to reduce the number of unemployed persons across the country. She added that the training duration is three months.
Oruoyehu pointed out that the trainees will be given adequate training to prepare them for future engagement as agriprenuers. “This will be based on the successful completion of your training that you may be considered for the provision of facilities to establish agribusinesses of your choice,” she added.
