NDE disburses N1.9 million loans to Sustainable Agric Scheme beneficiaries

The Rural Employment Promotion, REP, Department of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, on Wednesday disbursed loans of N100,000 each to 19 beneficiaries of the 2023 Sustainable Agricultural Development and Empowerment Scheme, SADES in Enugu, Enugu State.

The lucky beneficiaries qualified for the loan after undergoing strategic training in modern Agricultural skills and Empowerment in Agri-business engagements.

Speaking at the disbursement ceremony at the NDE office in Enugu, the Director General, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, said that the loan was to enable the beneficiaries to set up their own agribusiness after the completion of their intensive training.

Fikpo, represented by the NDE Enugu State coordinator, Mr. Eugene Agu, a deputy director in the Directorate, also said that the training and the loan disbursement were in line with NDE mandate of “closing the gaps that exist among youth unemployed graduates and school leavers searching for employment.”

He reminded the beneficiaries that they were empowered to set up and manage small-scale Agricultural enterprises in their chosen areas of interest to become self-reliant, create wealth and generate employment opportunities for others.

“First, you have been trained in modern agriculture and life skills to be able to overcome the challenges of your immediate environment. Secondly, the loan empowerment provides you with the required finances for entrepreneurship.

“You should therefore justify these efforts by putting in your best to succeed and repay the loan in due time so that other unemployed youths will benefit subsequently,” he urges.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Director, Rural Employment Promotion, REP, Department, Mr. Edem Duke, represented by Mrs Faith Nwaeze, told the beneficiaries that they were privileged to be part of the training and the loan and for this reason should use the loan judiciously for optimum benefit.