The Rural Employment Promotion (REP), department of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has empowered 42 youth in Enugu state with N100, 000.00 soft loans. The loan is to enable them maximise their potentials in agribusiness.
Beneficiaries of the loan package scheme include: Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (AES), Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme (SADES), Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (GAES), and Community Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES).
Speaking at the flag off of the scheme Wednesday in Enugu, the NDE, director general, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, said NDE provided the loan package in line with their mandate of combating unemployment, encourage wealth creation and reduce poverty.
Fikpo, represented at the occasion by the Enugu state coordinator of NDE, Mrs. Ifeoma Ezepue, expressed optimism that the loan would counter the security challenges faced in the country.
He said in the bid to empower the people to check bombings and reduce casualties, NDE embarked on a number of programmes such as the loan schemes to stem the tide.
“We are committed to empowering youth with agricultural skill that will help them develop their economic and social lives in the near future.”
He urged the beneficiaries to use the loans judiciously.
“We implore you to use this loan gainfully in agribusiness and have a good plan of repayment so that others will also benefit from the gesture,” the DG said.
