By Francis Sadhere
A Non-Governmental Organization, Evironmental &Rural Mediation Centre,ENVIRUMEDIC has tasked the Delta State Government on the need to put “monitoring mechanisms” in place to check youths Undergoing various training programmes at Songhai who may want to divert funds and starter packs that will be given to them after the programme.
The Chief Executive Officer, Chief Monday Ogheneruona Itoghor gave the advice during a live phone in programe in JFM Radio 95.1 today, noting that monitoring is essential if the state government wants the program to succeed.
While noting that the menace of youths restiveness in the state was becoming unbearable, Chief Itoghor said the programme will be beneficial to deltans if the programme is monitored, stressing that similar agricultural empowerment training programmes failed because past governments did not monitor the graduands to ascertain their successes or failures.
“Government should put in place monitoring mechanisms to check those who would want to divert the starter packs and funds that will be given to them after the programme. We know that some may decide to marry second wives, buy cars and do other things with the money. This is why i am saying that Government should put a monitoring mechanism in place so that the initiative does not fail like others,” he said.
Chief Itoghor enjoined the youths to be agents of change and make judicious utilization of the knowledge gathered from the YAGEP training for their personal good and that of the state.
Chief Itoghor also appealed to the Delta State Government to make adequate budgetary allocations that includes small scale farmers for.the agricultural sector in line with his “Prosperity for All Deltans” so as to enable it meet the challenges of providing food for Deltans and Nigerians at large.
Chief Itoghor highlighted the importance of the budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector in the state stressing that it will aid farmers and Extension Service Providers in adopting innovative and sustainable agricultural equipments for the common good of the State.
The Programme Officer, Mr. Lucky Enegide who also contributed on the programme bemoaned the poor number of Extension Workers in Delta State stating that ,”of the 200 extension agents positions in Delta State’s Agricultural Development Agency, Extension Department of Agriculture , only 78 posts are filled while 134 remains vacant. Since 2003 no extension worker has been employed in Delta State. the ones we.have before now, some have died, some have retired, while others have got.lucrative jobs.”
Mr. Enegide advised the government to make improvement by including the agricultural sector and the small scale farmers in the implementation of its budget to guarantee food security for the State and Nation at large.
Mr. Engide who was silent on the selection of youths across the state for the YAGEP Programme said, “funds should not be put in the hands of youths who will not make use of the knowledge impacted in them by the State Government.”
