The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Ebonyi says it has trained 205,000 unemployed youths in various job creation schemes in the state since its inception in 1998.
The Director-General of the organisation, Dr Mohammed Argungu, said this at the orientation organised for the participants in the 2020 Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS) in Abakaliki on Tuesday.
Argungu, represented by the NDE coordinator in the state, Mr Marcel Igboanude, said that the scheme was one of the job creation programmes initiated to train unemployed youths in modern agriculture.
According to him, the programme is currently engaging 100 youths in the state as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve food security and reduce unemployment.
“The scheme involves processing and other agribusinesses to enhance food security programme of the federal government, generate employment opportunities and reduce rural-urban migration.
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“Yes, today, 100 unemployed youths and women in Ebonyi will commence training in modern agricultural skills under SADTS.
“The training comprises tutorial and practical attachment and it is a three-month training.
“It will cover such topical areas as arable crops production, fishery, poultry, piggery, apiculture, small ruminants production and agro-services.
“At the end of the training, the trainees are expected to form agricultural cooperatives, which will enable them to access necessary financial support to establish modern farms to enhance food production and employment generation,” Argungu said.
He said that aside from the 205,000 trainees, no fewer than 5,000 youths have also been resettled by the directorate to establish various business enterprises.
Also, Rep. Mr Anayo Edwin, representing Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency, commended NDE for putting up the programme.
Edwin, who was represented by Chukuemeka Petkin, described diversification through agriculture and human capital development as the best approach for a growing economy.
He, however, urged the participants to fully embrace the scheme and ensure that they made good use of what they would learn.
One of the resource persons, Mr Cyril Ogbogu, underscored the importance of skill acquisition to national development.
Ogbogu, therefore, urged the participants to be committed to the training to enable them to become employers of labour.
A beneficiary, Mr Philemon Needs, thanked the federal government for the programme and pledged to take advantage of the training to improve his economy.
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