The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has engaged 50 unemployed persons in Ebonyi in its Agricultural Extension programme aimed at enhancing food security.
Mr Abubakar Fikpo, Director-General of NDE, inaugurated the programme on Wednesday in Amaike Ezzamgbo in Ohaukwu Local Government of Ebonyi.
Fikpo said the training was to equip the beneficiaries with the use of scientific and technology driven services to guarantee disease-free production to stimulate the rural economy.
The Director-General, represented by the NDE Coordinator in Ebonyi, Mr Marcel Igboanude, said that the aim was also to guarantee high quality yield and stress-free processing of agricultural products.
Fikpo added that agriculture had been the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy because it had provided over 35 per cent of employment and 25 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Fikpo said the training would be of immense benefits to the beneficiaries because they would be impacted with the prerequisite knowledge for the challenges ahead in life.
He urged the trainees to make use of the opportunity to reduce the country’s unemployment rate.
He thank the government of Ebonyi for it support to NDE operations in the state.
Dr Mike Mbata, an NDE Director, Rural Employment Promotion Department, urged the participants to support the Federal Government policies on sustainable agriculture as well as reduction of unemployment rate.
Mary Okoro, a participants, who spoke on behalf of other participants, lauded NDE for the training but appealed to NDE for help to put the knowledge to practice. (NAN)
