BY KABIR WURMA, Birnin Kebbi
National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Kebbi State has disbursed N8.4 million to 84 unemployed graduates as soft loan to start businesses so as to become self-employed.
The beneficiaries which were 42 from FCT and 42 from Kebbi State were given N100,000 loans under 4 REP loan schemes.
The director general of the NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo who was represented by the FCT NDE state coordinator, Mr Chimereze Noble, charged beneficiaries to make good use of the money in order to achieve the desired objective of employment generation, wealth creation and eradication of poverty.
Fikpo who gave the breakdown of the REP loan schemes said the loan was under four categories; Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (AES) which has nine beneficiaries, Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (GAES) 11, Community Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES) 7, while the Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme (SADES) has 15 beneficiaries making a total of 42 lucky beneficiaries.
Speaking while disbursing the loan yesterday to the beneficiaries at Conference Hall of Women Affairs Ministry in Birnin Kebbi, NDE director general, Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo said the gesture is to encourage the unemployed graduates both male and female to create different businesses such as cattle rearing, hatchery and dry season farming.
Fikpo added that the programme, which is new, was created under Rural Employed Department [REP] to boost agricultural activities in the state.
The DG who was represented at the disbursement ceremony by the state coordinator of the directorate, Ambiamto Emos Francia, also disclosed that the beneficiaries were drawn from across the 21 local government areas of the state.
Also speaking, the representative of the director of rural employment promotion, Mrs Folashade Uche said the REP loan schemes are very flexible with 6 months moratorium and just 9 percent interest rate payable in 3 years and urged beneficiaries to be prudent in the management of the loan so that the objective of the programme will not be jeopardized.
In the same vein the head of department, REP, Mr Chukwuma Jinwa said the beneficiaries are expected upon the expiration of the 6 months moratorium given to them to start paying at least N3,000 per month to be able to pay back the loan with ease within the stipulated period of 3 years given to them and urged them to put the money to good use to maximize profit, create wealth and employment for others.
Appreciating the NDE, one of the beneficiaries, Bello Mudasir thanked the management of NDE for the opportunity given them to be part of the beneficiaries and promised to invest the money wisely in the right business so as to be able to pay back within the stipulated period of time while also growing their business to create wealth and employment opportunities for others.
