Oyo YEAP Graduates 300, To Train 3,300 More Youths

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has said the state would expand its Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project, YEAP, to enable the training of 10,000 youths by the CSS Integrated Farms Limited, Gora, Nasarawa State.

Governor Makinde made this known while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of 300 trainees held at the International Skills Acquisition Centre (ISAC), Gora.

He noted that his administration has embarked on the training in order to lift youths from poverty into prosperity, stating that the government is determined to empower Oyo State youths to empower others.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quotes the governor as saying that the state was going to empower only 1,000 youths through the scheme, but that it increased the number to 3,300 at 100 per local government. 

He noted, however, that following the richness of the programme and its capacity to turn the economy of Oyo State into a multi-billion naira economy through agribusiness graduates, government would now go ahead to train 10,000 youths in agribusiness.

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The first batch of trainees were trained by about 15 lecturers/professors across the fields of leadership in agribusiness, irrigation farming, Information/Communication Technology application in agribusiness, fishery farming and management, hydroponics farming, cassava and rice value chain and poultry farming, among others.

The governor was given an award of recognition by the chairman, CSS Integrated Farms, Professor John Kennedy Opara, who commended the governor for being very passionate about his people.

Earlier, the YEAP Coordinator and Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr. Debo Akande, said the training is a great opportunity for youths to make a difference.

Dr. Akande added that the training is a starting point for the trainees, noting that everything required for the enterprises has been provided by the governor.

Also speaking, two of the trainees, Edward Oluwasogo Ojekunle and Ogundiran Omosalewa, commended Governor Makinde for the opportunity provided to the youths, promising to return to the state to make immediate impact.

Iyabo Adebisi