The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has begun the training of rural unemployed youths in goat production as an employment strategy in 18 states of the federation.
Mr Abubakar Fikpo, the Director General of the NDE, announced on Tuesday at the Orientation Ceremony of Small Stock (Goat) Production Training Scheme (SSPTS) held in Jalingo.
Fikpo said that the programme was an employment strategy through a revolving employment scheme targeted at generating employment for rural youths.
The director general, who was representated by Hajia Hauwa Ibrahim, said that 50 unemployed youths in each of the 18 states, including Taraba, were selected for the training in phase one of the programme.
He also announced that the federal government would give loans to the graduates of the programme after the exercise as an empowerment strategy to tackle unemployment.
He said that there had been increase in the rate of unemployment in the country, explaining the motive behind the programme which, he said, was aimed at reducing joblessness especially among youths in rural areas.
He, therefore, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity as many more rural youths would equally benefit from the programme in due course.
According to Fikpo, after this training, trainees are expected to become self employed and job creators in our labour industry”.
Earlier, Alhaji Shehu Danjuma, Taraba State Coordinator of the NDE, said that the training in goat production value chain had great employment potentials capable of boosting local economies of the benefiting communities.
Danjuma said that goat production was one of the commonest small stock found within local communities.
The state coordinator also noted that there was available markets for goats as increase in its demand had remained constant.
He added that goats were raw materials for shoes, bags, belt among many other things in the turning industry.
“We wish you accord this programme with all sense of commitment as it has the potential to provide livelihood or employment and reduce poverty in the country,” Danjuma said.
In his remark, Mr Benard Ishaya, the Head of Rural Employment Promotion Department, explained that the training which would last for one week had already assembled resource persons in the goat husbandry.
Ishaya said that the participants would be provided with modern skills in goat production that would enhance production in goats and attract income to the beneficiaries.
He said that the participants would be trained in modern feeds formulation, medical treatment, breeding process and types and sources of goats, among many other relevant topics.
Mr David Zango, one of the participants who spoke to NAN commended the federal government for identifying with the rural unemployed youths.
Zango said that the training would go a long way in generating employment among the rural youths.
Also, Miss Hanatu Ibrahim, one of the participants, noted that it was the first time that the rural unemployed youths would be remembered.
Ibrahim appealed to the NDE to monitor investment of beneficiaries into the goat production to ensure the success of the programme.
NAN recalls that the pilot programme for the Small Stock Production Training Scheme was demonstrated in Katsina.(NAN)
