NDE Commences Sustainable Training and Loan Disbursement To 100 Youths in Sokoto

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced Sustainable Agricultural Development Scheme (SADTS) and loand disbursement to 100 youths in Sokoto.

Director-General of NDE, Malam Abubakar Fikpo, disclosed this on Tuesday in Sokoto during the orientation of agricultural loans disbursement held at Shamsuddeen Plaza.

Fikpo represented by the Sokoto State NDE Coordinator Mrs Eunice J. Danmallam, said beneficiaries are entitled to N100,000 each at 9 per cent interest rate.

He said the beneficiaries were captured under the Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (AES) and Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES).

He added they were also under Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (GAES) and Sustainable Agricultural Development and Empowerment Scheme (SADES).

Fikpo said that six months moratorium was given after which  beneficiaries were expected to repay the loan in installments over a period of three years.

Dan Mallam expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the timely release of statutory allocations to the NDE, adding that it has enabled the directorate venture into several poverty and youths empowerment projects and programmes.

She expressed gratitude to the Rt. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal administration for supporting the programmes in the State.

Furthermore, Mr Joshua Fagbemi the lead person, from the Rural Employment Promotion Department, Headquarters Abuja in his presentation dwelt on employment generation in the rural setting and its multiplier effect on the national economy.

Fagbemi hinted that there are lots of untapped resources in the national agricultural sector. He implored all the beneficiaries to take good advantage of the opportunity to better their economic and social status.

Earlier in his address, Special Advisor to the Sokoto State Governor on Youth Matters, Malam Nuraddeen Harande Mahe, commended the geature and urged the beneficiaries to concentrate so as to benifit from the training. He said Sokoto State government backs any effort similar to this and is ready to contribute its own part in creating jobs opportunity for the youths, especially graduands of high institutions.

However, Dr. shu'aibau Sa'idu Gatawa who represented the State Commissioner of Agriculture, described it as a grat development and welcome effort. He said Sokoto State is endowed with brilliant youth that require a mere training and support to stand for themselves. 

He elucidated that the Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS) is a training which ensures that Agricultural research and extension services are high-input for crops and animals production in which the state has great comparative advantage.

He also advised the graduands and said this is the time for them to be attracted back to the land through a range of incentives and of which training is one of it. He urged the beneficiaries to embrace the training with all sense of commitment and seriousness as it is the way to self-reliance and sustainability.

However, the NDE had selected best trainers and who a of good reputation in providing effective training. According to Mr. Abduljalal Abdulmumin from Gidado Farms, the selected youths to be trained, would in the end become good assets to the state.

Some of the beneficiaries thanked the NDE for the opportunity, assuring that the loans would be used judiciously. 

They promised that they would use the opportunity, which is rare, in building themselves and society.