NDE disburses loans to farmers to boost food production

By Philip Nwosu

The Lagos State office of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) said it has commenced the disbursement of loans to eligible farmers under the Rural Employment Promotion Department (REP).

A statement from the NDE said the move was to ensure food sustainability in the state in accordance with the vision statement of the directorate.

While flagging off the disbursement, the Director-General of National Directorate of Employment, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, who was represented by the Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Serena Olayebi-Edward, reiterated that the essence of the programme is to assist farmers with soft loans to help boost their agricultural businesses.

She added that the loan being disbursed came as a single-digit repayment option with a six-month moratorium period, which would be paid within a three-year repayment period.

 She explained that agriculture serves as the bedrock of the growing economy of any nation, adding that beside provision of food and raw materials, agriculture is a very good avenue for employment opportunities to a very large per cent of the population. 

Olayebi-Edward disclosed that the disbursement was for various programmes under REP, adding: “In all, for the first batch of the exercise, seven beneficiaries were empowered in the Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme, 11 beneficiaries under the Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme, 15 beneficiaries for Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme and nine beneficiaries for the Agricultural Enhancement Scheme in this batch.”

The Lagos State coordinator admonished the beneficiaries to endeavour to repay the loans given, stating that the right mind-set towards government interventions loan would see to the continued disbursement of loans from the Federal Government through the National Directorate of Employment for others to benefit.

She posited that NDE was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to combat mass unemployment and generate jobs for the masses, adding that the loan scheme was one of the many schemes of the directorate, which are designed to empower eligible citizens.

She urged the beneficiaries to use the money given to them judiciously especially the moratorium period given and encouraged them to be good ambassadors of NDE.