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).
The NDE in a statement said the act was to guarantee food sustainability in the state in accordance with the vision statement of the directorate.
The Director-General of National Directorate of Employment, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, who was represented by the Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Serena Olayebi-Edward, while flagging off the disbursement, noted that the essence of the programme is to support farmers with soft loans to help boost their agricultural businesses.
Mrs Edward explained that the loan being disbursed came as a single-digit repayment option with a six-moratorium period which would be paid within a 3-year repayment period.
She said, “Agriculture as we all know, serves as the bedrock of the growing economy of any nation. Asides from the provision of food and raw materials, agriculture is a very good avenue for employment opportunities to a very large percent 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 coordinator for Lagos State urged the recipients of the loans to make an effort to repay them, noting that a positive attitude toward government interventions loans would ensure that loans from the Federal Government would continue to be disbursed through the National Directorate of Employment so that others could benefit.
She asserted that the Federal Government of Nigeria formed NDE in order to fight widespread unemployment and create jobs for the general population, and that the loan program was only one of the numerous programs run by the directorate that aim to empower eligible residents.
She urged the recipients to use the funds thoughtfully, especially during the provided moratorium period, and asked them to act as good representatives of NDE.
