The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has disbursed N4.3 million to 43 unemployed youths and women in Jigawa State.
The Director-General of the NDE, Malam Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo, made this known during the disbursement of the loans in Dutse on Thursday.
Nuhu-Fikpo, represented by the state Coordinator of NDE, Mr Miwa Lasco, said each beneficiary received N100, 000 to enable them to start, improve or expand their businesses.
He explained that the 43 beneficiaries were selected out of the 100 earlier trained in four schemes, under the directorate’s Rural Empowerment Promotion (REP) Program.
The D-G listed the schemes as Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (AES), Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme (SADES), Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES) and Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (GAES).
According to him, the training was aimed at making the beneficiaries become self-reliant and employers of labour in agriculture in their respective communities.
Nuhu-Fikpo added that it was also to assist in reducing poverty in the society.
Also speaking, the Head of REP Department (HOD), NDE headquarters, Mr Fascal Edene, said that the loan was to enable the beneficiaries establish their own businesses.
Edene added that the loan repayment would start after six months and end in three years.
“I want to use this opportunity to inform you that this N100, 000 is not for free but a loan which you are expected to pay gradually in three years.
“So try as much as you can to pay back so that others will benefit. You will start repaying after the grace of six months.
“And remember that you’re not expected to pay at once, but gradually,” Edene said.
In his remarks, Mr Calip Yerima, HOD REP NDE Jigawa office, urged the beneficiaries to use the money judiciously.
“I want to advise you to utilise this opportunity. This is because many people are looking for opportunities like this, in fact some will even be ready to pay in order to be trained like this.
“But the NDE is training you people for free and gives you loan at the same time. So take it serious and utilise it effectively,” Yerima advised.
Some of the beneficiaries, Zainab Muhammad and Ahmad Balarabe, commended the agency for the gesture and promised to use the loan judiciously.
NAN
