Nigerian Youths Get World Bank Attention, Set To Receive N8.6bln

World Bank: About 5,916 youth across Nigerian will soon get a disbursement of N8.6 billion from the world bank in the Graduate Unemployment Youths Support Scheme.

This was disclosed by Kwaji Daguru, the Chairman of FADAMA GUYS Implementation Committee, in an interview with newsmen today in Abuja.

Mr Daguru, who is also Procurement Specialist for FADAMA III (AFII) Programme, said the programmes is aimed at improving agriculture in the country and has targetted 5,916 youth in 23 states.

The states includes Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Ogun and Ondo States.

Others include Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He said that the move to involve the youths in agriculture is in a bid to improve food security for the country, provide employment and boost capacity building.

The enrollment for the programme ended on May 15, 2017 with the aim of selecting the beneficiary youth would boost job creation in the 23 states.

Mr Daguru, assured that the money earmarked for the project was intact, even though the disbursement was yet to start. He, nonetheless, said that the disbursement would be made through the Grant and Funds category of the project.

“We have applied to the federal government, through Federal Ministry of Finance for permission to reallocate funds from other categories like Consultancy, Training, Civil Work into the Grant and Funds category.

“Any moment from now, disbursement will take place, especially to those who would engage in rainy season agricultural activities because they have completed the grant agreement and submitted their land documents.

“The Phase One is expected to gulp about N8, 675, 013, 679.12 to fund the business plans of the 5,916 candidates in 23 states. “If the resources permit in the last segment of the project, we will be able to upscale to other states in the second phase.’’

Mr Daguru said: “The objective of the programme is to work with government in three areas of job creation, while building capacity of our youths and aiding efforts to keep the foreign exchange rates low.

“We are making sure we import low quantities of rice and tomatoes, while putting less pressure on our Naira (currency) so as to make our economy strong.’’

He said that the target beneficiaries were those with ages between 18 and 35 as well as graduates and undergraduates of higher institutions.

“The programme would support all aspects of agricultural production in a business or commercial manner; right from crop and livestock production, inputs support supply and advisory services.

“It would also assist extension services and post-harvest production services like storage, warehousing, marketing and products distribution.’’ Mr Daguru said that a two-week intensive training in business and technical fields in the states would be conducted for candidates after the screening exercise.

“During the application process, candidates would be allowed to choose specific enterprises of their choice in the agricultural value chain and they would be trained in the ventures accordingly.

“At the end of the training, they would be asked to submit business plans on their chosen enterprises; we will then invite professionals to review the business plans and come up with standard modules.

“We have 5,916 trainees and they have opened bank accounts with two selected commercial banks that are used by the FADAMA Coordinating Offices in the states.’’