Francis Sadhere
The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has trained 86 indigenes of the region in various aspects of agriculture as part of the strategies to arrest criminality and restiveness in the oil-rich belt of the country.
The beneficiaries were trained at Galilee International Institute, Israel and Songhai Integrated Farms, Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin, in many areas of farming, especially in poultry and fishery under the ministry’s skills acquisition training programme.
Already, the ministry has dolled out N750,000 to each of the beneficiaries, drawn from all the states in the region, as a grant in addition to other business start up materials.
The ministry promised to provide additional funds for performing beneficiaries upon satisfactory appraisal of their performance and the use of the initial grant.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, handed over the cheques of the grant to the beneficiaries in Ekpan, Delta State, during the weekend.
Orubebe, who spoke at the end of the refresher workshop organised for the graduands, said the programme was designed to make them self-reliant and self-dependable in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Orubebe, who was represented by one of his Special Adviser, Mr. Sam Osasa, said, “As their (beneficiaries) process continues, they all will be evaluated at periodic intervals o ascertain possible areas of assistance to them. It is hoped that these measures would guarantee sustainable livelihood and add value to the human capital development efforts in the Niger Delta in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
“Let me make a passionate and patriotic appeal to all beneficiaries, that, as pioneer/pilot products, you are expected to make judicious application of the financial empowerment that would be extended to you to justify government’s intention and investment and ensure the continuity and sustainability of the scheme to afford others the opportunity to benefit as well.”
Also speaking, the Director in charge of Economic Empowerment Department in the ministry, Mr. Gboyega Olawoyin, said the ministry conceived the scheme to enable the beneficiaries to “become employers of labour and not job seekers.”
Olawoyin urged them to use the start-up wisely and prudently, counselling that, “With wise investment and prudent management of the resources at your disposal, you will go to places.”
