No fewer that 5,000 women and youth in Kaduna State are to benefit from an empowerment programme by the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and Phairah Agro Ventures Ltd.
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The Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Kabir Adamu made the disclosure during the flag off of the programme on Saturday in Kaduna.
He said that the programme, which is between the Bank and Phairah Agro Ventures Ltd., will deliver the empowerment programmes to targeted beneficiaries through its branch offices, with terms and conditions.
The Managing Director, who was represented by the Director, Legal Services, BOA, Haruna Babaji, said the collaboration targets only youth and women in agriculture with the aim to uplift them from poverty.
“So far, over the years, we have so many collaboration; we are in about 45 collaborations within states, local governments, NGOs, Federal and State Governments,” he explained.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of Phairah Agro Ventures, Sani Sha’aban said that the programme would enable every beneficiary who wishes to establish poultry business, to have a starting point of establishing the business.
He attributed the ongoing criminal activities in nooks and crannies of various part of the country to idleness and lack of jobs by the teeming youth.
Sha’aban advised the beneficiaries to utilise the opportunity judiciously.
“There is one secret in life, whatever you take to be serious and you adhere to it religiously, you will have no doubt but to attain an excellent shining progress and success in that endeavour,” he said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sha’aban, explained that the programme will enable a layman to have access to loans without going to bank, but through a local company.
He reiterated that the programme would help create jobs, reduce criminal activities and other social vices in the society.
Some of the beneficiaries said that they joined the programme to be self reliant, acquire more knowledge on poultry farming and access loan to start the business.