From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Coordinator of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Zakari over the weekend said the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has released over N11 million as loans to 237 unemployed persons in Kogi.
Zakari who announced this during the disbursement ceremony at the weekend, told journalists that the beneficiaries were drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state.
“The three categories of the beneficiaries are; Matured People’s Programme, Start Your Own Business and Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme.”
Zakari said that the gesture is aimed at giving opportunities for the unemployed people to embark on ventures that would boost their livelihood through self-reliant.
He appealed to the jobless citizens especially the youths to embrace the federal government’s numerous skills acquisition programmes to improve upon their living conditions.
According to the Kogi State Coordinator, “Diversification of the nation’s economy to skills acquisition and agriculture has become imperative as a result of the prevailing poverty and hunger in Nigeria.”
The Head of Small Scale Enterprises Department, Comerade Abiodun Ibidun advised the beneficiaries to see the loan as a rare privilege and ensure judicious use of the funds and ensure timely repayment of the loan.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Talatu Fatima Abdul appreciated the federal government and the NDE in its efforts to continue to empower unemployed persons with a promise that they will use the money for the purpose intended.
