The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) says 50 unemployed Imo youths are to undergo a one-week intensive training in goat production’s value chain.
The Director-General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo, said this on Thursday in Owerri, while declaring the training open.
Nuhu-Fikpo said that the programme was organised by the agency’s Department of Rural Employment Promotion (REP).
He said that the choice of goat production was informed by the consideration for the great potentials associated with goat business.
The NDE boss, represented by the Imo Coordinator of the agency, Mrs Chisara Egwim-Chima, listed the potentials to include production of meat, milk, hide, skin and manure.
Others are the generation of income to improve the livelihood of rural dwellers, job creation, reduction in rural-urban migration and enhanced the people’s protein intake.
He said that the trainees would be trained in modern goat production technology, using the revolving model of empowerment.
He said that the Federal Government was interested in poverty reduction through job creation, socio-economic and environmental benefits, using the Small Stock (Goat) Production training scheme.
“I want you, dear trainees to note that the NDE has other job creation programmes that youths can take advantage of and become gainfully employed,” Nuhu-Fikpo said.
Also, the Director of the REP Department, Mr Edem Duke, advised the beneficiaries to use the training to improve their livelihood.
Duke, represented by a senior official of the department, Mrs Chikaodi Okereke, also said that the beneficiaries would be exposed to the best breed of goats and their available markets.
He further said that the beneficiaries would receive start-up grants at the end of the training.
He urged them to make judicious use of the empowerment grant.
One of the beneficiaries from Oru East Council Area, Mr Evaristus Ekene, thanked the agency for the “rare opportunity”.
Ekene, who spoke on behalf of the other trainees, promised that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.
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