NDE disburses N1.9m loan to unemployed citizens for agri-business in Ekiti

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has disbursed loan worth over N1.9 million to unemployed youths in agri-business across the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State.

The Director-General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, who spoke during the loan disbursement in Ado-Ekiti, noted that the beneficiaries under the 2023 Sustainable Agricultural Development and Empowerment Scheme (SADES) of the scheme were supported to enhance their agriculture investment and boost the economic development.

Represented by the state coordinator, Sanusi Akeem, the DG explained that the agency was determined through numerous interventions to reduce the unemployment rate in the society by encouraging skills acquisition among the youths.

He added that the 19 beneficiaries under its Rural Employment Promotion were trained in agriculture enterprises and would be supported with N100,000 loan to advance the business for economic growth.

He said, “The loan is to enable them set up and manage small scale agricultural enterprises in their chosen areas of interest to become self-reliant, create wealth and generate employment opportunities for others.

“Let me remind the beneficiaries to see this gesture as a rare opportunity which should not be allowed to fail. Remember that with the loan facility, you have been

“First, you have been trained in modern agriculture and life skills to be able to overcome the challenges of your immediate environment. Secondly, the loan empowerment provides you with the required finances for entrepreneurship.

“You should therefore justify these efforts by putting in your best to succeed and repay the loan in due time so that other unemployed youth will benefit subsequently.”

Speaking, the representative of Edem Duke, the Director of Rural Employment Promotion department from the NDE headquarters, Dr Sylvester Ekemhonye, urged the beneficiaries to deploy the loan on their enterprises and not on other things.

He advised them to repay the loan within three months to give opportunities for other unemployed youths to benefit from the scheme in a bid to reduce poverty in the society.