42 NDE graduates get start-up loans in Sokoto

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

No fewer than 42 graduates in various programmes of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) are to be given one hundred thousand naira (100,000) loans to enable them start up in their acquired skills.

Addressing benefiting graduates in Sokoto, the State Acting Coordinator of NDE, Malam Muhammad Umar Sanda Gusau said reducing unemployment among the youths, women and the retired is part of their mandate.

Speaking further, Gusau added, “This one-day exercise is a combined orientation of forty-two (42) beneficiaries of Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (AES), Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme (SADES), Community Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES) and Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (GAES) which shall be empowered with loan packages of One Hundred Thousand (100,000) naira each.

Giving a breakdown of the beneficiaries, Malam Gusau said, 9 persons will benefit from AES, 15 from SADES, 7 from CBAES and 11 from GAES.

He further said, “it gladdens my heart to inform you that all the loan beneficiaries are graduates of our Agricultural Extension, Poultry and Vegetable Production programmes.”

The graduates are of the Rural Employment Promotion (REP) Department of the NDE.

On the loan conditions, Umar Sanda Gusau said, it will be distributed to the beneficiaries through their respective banks and will attract a single digit interest of 9 percent with a moratorium period of six months before repayment begins, adding that it has three years repayment plan.

He further appealed to all beneficiaries to make proper use of the loans and ensure timely repayment to enable other unemployed persons also benefit from the scheme.

Responding to the gesture, the beneficiaries thanked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government for the lofty initiative and the State Coordinator of NDE for showing commitment to their future.