The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has trained 50 unemployed youths and women on agricultural extension scheme in Oyo State, an official has said.
The Director-General of the NDE, Mr Abubakar Fikpo, said this at the end of the five-day exercise, which took place at the Federal Secretariat, Ikolaba in Ibadan.
Fikpo urged the trainees to maximise the knowledge gained at the training, saying the exercise would expose them to agriculturally-based activities.
“And this will also make them to determine an area where their interest may lie, be it poultry, livestock, crop production or others.
“At NDE, we have very vast programme that covers different sectors of the economy, depending on ones interest.
“We wish you well and hope this training will enable you to find solace in other areas for you to earn a living.
“Even if it is not within the NDE, at least you now have some technical knowledge of what to do in agriculture or how to link up.
“We expect those of you that are willing to source for finance to start something to use this opportunity to ask questions.
“NDE has linkages, we collaborate with other agencies that can support and give you facilities,” the NDE boss said.
Some of the participants, Sheriff Adedeji, 34, and Wisdom Samuel, 28, commended the Federal Government for the training.
The duo said the training had exposed them to some agricultural skills that would make them to be self-reliant.
Samuel said the training had widened her idea about agriculture and promised to utilise the knowledge gained to enhance her status economically.
Also, the NDE State Coordinator, Mrs Olayinka Olayemi, and South-West Zonal Director, Mrs Shafaru Awulat, thanked the federal government and NDE for the training and called for its sustenance.
Olayemi, who spoke on behalf of the state office of the agency, pledged that they would continue to be good ambassadors of the agency.
He commended the members of staff for their dedication to duty and promised to continue to give priority to their welfare.
He further urged them to contribute their quota toward the success of the agency. (NAN)
