By Martha Agas (NAN)
The National Directorate For Employment(NDE) has commenced training of 50 unemployed graduates and women on goat farming in Plateau, North Central Nigeria.
The one week training from June 30 to July 6 under its Department of Rural Employment Promotion(REP), is being implemented in 18 states accross the nation
Speaking while flagging off the training on Thursday in Jos, the Director of REP Department, Dr. Michael Mbata said the training was aimed at reducing poverty in the country as goat rearing has great employment potentials.
Represented by one of its Rural Employment Promotion Officer , Mrs Anne Ita, he said the implementation of the scheme was following the success of a pilot test conducted March in Katsina state.
” Three states were selected from each of the geopolitical zones. The beneficiaries are unemployed youths and women that have interest in goat production.
” Goat production is an economic viable business , from the production of meat and milk and even the waste are all useful , ” he said .
He urged participants to take the training seriously to enable them become self employed, and also be future employers of labour.
Earlier in his remarks, the State Coordinator of NDE In Plateau, Mallam Ibrahim Abdulaziz said the training would continue for six months on practical aspect of goat production .
He said the scheme would make the beneficiaries self reliant ,reduce poverty and over dependence on white collar jobs.
“NDE is committed to creating wealth. Goat production is a lucrative business with great potentials of expansion because of the reproduction nature of goats which easily multiplies,” he said
He said the capacity of participants would also be built on business management, to enable them access financial assistance through preparing good business plans.
He said the 15 resource persons selected to train the beneficiaries are experts from different relevant disciplines in high institutions, animal husbandry and agric-entrepreneurs.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Mr Miri Selbol said that the training would improve their knowledge on improved variety of goats, and create more opportunities to access financial assistance for business expansion.(NAN)
