Participants under the rural employment promotion programme of the National Directorate of Employment NDE in Nasarawa State have called on the federal and state governments to pay maximum attention to policies aimed at providing skills and job opportunities for the teeming youths across the country.
Leader of the participants Mr. Buhari Edga made the call at the opening ceremony for a three month sustainable agricultural development orientation and training scheme in Lafia the Nasarawa State capital.
The three months orientation and training for sustainable agricultural development scheme was the initiative of the National Directorate of Employment NDE under the rural empowerment promotion to provide opportunities for unemployed youths to acquire skills and new innovations in the agricultural value chain.
Addressing the participants, Director General, National Directorate of Employment Mallam Abubakar Fikpo represented by the Nasarawa State Co-ordinator of NDE Mr Christopher Bamsida stated that the scheme was focused on improving livelihood in the rural areas and job creation in agriculture.
Director, Rural Employment Promotion Programme in the National Directorate of Employment Mr. Edem Duke represented by Mrs. Sade Usman explained that the training would cover modern skills in innovative agricultural technology, livestock and vegetable crop production.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Buhari Edga stressed the need for more programmes centred on youth empowerment as part of measures towards addressing restiveness.
At the end of the training, loan facilities were to be given to the beneficiaries totalling 1200 who were selected from 12 states across the federation including Nasarawa to start up their own agribusinesses.