Ebonyi: NDE Flags Off Community Base Agricultural Empowerment Scheme

The National Directorate of Employment NDE in Ebonyi State, South-Eastern, Nigeria has flagged off the  Ceremony of Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme, CBAES.

The ceremony also witnessed the orientation of the beneficiaries, which took place at the NDE State Secretariat, opposite Unity Square Abakaliki.

The Director- General of NDE, Mallam Abubaka Nuhu  disclosed this while addressing the beneficiaries in the state.

Nuhu, who was represented during the occasion by the NDE State Coordinator, Pastor Don Anaba, said
“I am delighted to address you today on this very important occasion of the orientation of the beneficiaries of the 2023 Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme, CBAES, of the Rural Employment Promotion Programme of the National Directorate of Employment.”

He said the implementation of the Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES) would not have been possible without the kind support and approval of the NDE Supervising Minister, Honourable Minister of State Labour and Employment, Barrister Nkiruka Onyejeocha who has been passionately committed towards promoting Agriculture as a business and attracting the unemployed Nigerians into modern agribusiness.

“Therefore, it is my honour to express my sincere appreciation to the Supervising Minister of the NDE for her immerse support and guidance of NDE towards its job creation efforts across the nation.”

The DG congratulated the beneficiaries in the 12 states where this ceremony is taking place simultaneously.

“The Federal Government, in an effort to address the increasing rate of unemployment in the country, established the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) as an apex agency responsible for sensitizing, counseling and reorienting the minds of unemployed youth to de-emphasize the search for wage employment and embrace skill acquisition as a viable option to paid employment and equally as a deliberate choice to self-reliance.”

In driving this policy, the NDE identified a lot of demand driven skills in vocational (technical domestic), entrepreneurial agricultural, and enterprise creation for young unemployed graduates and school leavers searching for employment. He said.

He added that the Rural Employment Promotion Department through its strategy of training in modern Agricultural skills and empowerment in agribusiness engagements is one of the core Programme departments saddled with the responsibility of generating employment opportunities in the agricultural sector for the unemployed youth in Nigeria.

“The Programme trains unemployed  youths in the agricultural value chain of activities such as production, storage, processing, preservation, packaging, etc. including off-farm activities and innovative and technological driven skills in the agricultural sector.”

Today, we are here to flag-off the orientaton/provision of facilities to Six Hundred and Sixty (660) beneficiaries under the 2023 Community- Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme, CBAES,These prospective participants are drawn from the pool of REP trained beneficiaries in the 12 States.

Under this scheme, 660 beneficiaries will be provided with facilities that will enable them to setup and manage small scale off farm enterprises in their chosen areas of interest to become self-reliant, create wealth and generate employment opportunities for others”

“Let me remind the beneficiaries to see this gesture as a rare opportunity which should not be allowed to fail. Remember that with the facility, you have been doubly empowered.” He said
“Following these strategies, the imbibe a sense of self-reliance with the beneficiaries creating employment, which is the cardinal mandate of the National Directorate of Employment.

“The advantage of being beneficiaries of this scheme can not be overemphasized apart from the fact that facilities are provided for you to succeed. ” He added.

The beneficiaries, Mr Mgbebu Chukwuma and Miss Awah Chisom, expressed their joy for the empowerment given to them by the Nigeria government.

Shakirat Sadiq