National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Wednesday empowered 42 beneficiaries with N100,100 each as agricultural soft loans in Kano, after receiving an intensive training on agriculture and livestock farming.
The Director General of the Agency, Mr Abubakar Fiko, unveiled the programme in Kano, charging the beneficiaries on effective utilization of the fund.
Mr Fiko, represented by the state Director of the Directorate in Kano, Mr Inuwa Abdullahi, described the empowerment as a life-changing process.
He lauded the commitment of the beneficiaries who went through a series of trainings before qualifying for the loans.
According to him, “The Agency will be proud of you when you put the fund to use and let it grow for the benefit of others to be employed by you.
“It will also enable you contribute positively towards economic growth of the society so as to meet up with challenges of unemployment in the country.”
The representative of the Rural Empowerment Initiative Department in the headquarters of the agency, Mr Edede Pascal, warned the beneficiaries on optimal utilization of the funds.
Mr Pascal commended the NDE Kano, for its efforts in community involvement in its activities.
Also, Mr Isyaku Isa, the state Head of Loans Department, explained the measures of repaying the loan to the beneficiaries.
Mr Isa explained that the loan repayment will begin in six months time and in a monthly instalments of N3,500.
He appealed to the beneficiaries to ensure effective feed back so as to enable others benefit from the scheme in future.
Mr Baba Abudllahi, the Senior Special Assistant to the Kano state Governor on entrepreneurship and innovation, pledged to support the scheme.
Mr Bashir Adamu, a representative of the beneficiaries, commended the NDE and pledged judicious use of the loan. (NAN)
