Agriculture

Oyo Govt. Trains 3,300 People On Agric-Business

By Web News 1080

In a bid to boost agriculture in the state,Oyo government has trained a total of 3,300 participants on its Youth Entrepreneurship Agribusiness Programme (YEAP).

The last batch of the participants numbering three hundred have arrived Ibadan from Nasarawa state.

Speaking  with newsmen,the Executive Adviser on Agribusiness Matters, Dr Debo Akande explained that the training was part of the state government’s commitment towards preparing the youths ahead of the Agricultural revolution in the state in term of acquisition of necessary skills to key into the government’s agricultural agenda.

Dr Akande who spoke through the state’s Director of YEAP and Technical Service, Mr Olufemi Ilori  explained that the agribusiness training for youths in Oyo state commenced in August, 2021 noting that participants including non indigenes residents in the state were drawn from the 33 local government areas of the state with 100 youths from each council. 

While lauding the state governor,Engineer Seyi Makinde for his commitment and support for the success of the training programme,stated that the next phase is to provide land for the graduands through the 33 local government chairmen in oder to showcase the acquired knowledge on different types of agriculture. 

Dr Akande also said state government has made provisions for financial support for the YEAP graduands which would be rolled out in batches to enable effective monitoring and guidance.

He assured that the state government would soon begin the implementation of the next phase noting that all participants have been captured through biometric means adding that the farmlands which would be provided for agribusiness purpose will be given to the youths grouped into clusters for effective monitoring on their developmental process.

“The journey to Nasarawa state started on 8th of August last year and has ended today. It was not an easy journey. We thank God that we never recorded any form of casualty from start of the programme till the end because Governor Makinde provided everything needed for the success we have recorded.

“This is the eleventh batch of three hundred youths per batch making it three thousand three hundred persons. One hundred per local government because we have 33 local governments in Oyo state.

“The significance of this training is the empowerment so that the youths can be able to take up the challenges of Agribusiness. After production what next? The value chain and they have learnt all of that in Nasarawa as they have been well equipped for the work ahead.

“The state government under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde has directed the various local governments to provide land for these youths which is one of the basic things they need. The financial aspect has been guaranteed by the state government so that as the last batch arrived today the next step is do them to be set up.” Akande said.

Some of the YEAP beneficiaries who spoke with journalists said the training was worthwhile and expressed  satisfaction on their welfare provided by Oyo state government throughout the training programme.

Iyabo Adebisi

Health

COVID-19 Vaccination: NYSC DG Tasks Corps Members on Sensitization of Host Communities

By Web News 765

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier General Ibrahim Shuaibu wants corps members to be involved in sensitizing residents of their host communities on the need to take the COVID-19 vaccination.

The charge was contained in his address to the closing and terminal parade of Batch C stream II corps members at the permanent orientation Camp, Ede Osun State.

In the address read by the Osun State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Winifred Shekpeka, the Director General pointed out that educating residents of rural communities of critical government programmes and policies was part of the mandate of corps members.

Brigadier Shuaibu warned them against drug abuse, cybercrime and advance fee fraud, noting that such indulgences would not only tarnish the family image of the culprit but would ultimately destroy the individual.

He also told them that the local politics of their host communities was a no go area for them, while he encouraged them to identify and embrace projects that would impact the people.

In her remark, the Osun state coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Winifred Shokpeka emphasized that from next camping, apart from the call-up letter, COVID-19 vaccination certificate was another important document that would admit a prospective corps member to camp.

Mrs Shokpeka said in conjunction with the NCDC in Osun, all corps members in the Batch C stream II were vaccinated, while residents of adjourning streets in Ede also benefited from the vaccination.

The state coordinator charged the participants to take their security more serious by strictly adhering to all the tips given to them as she also urged them to engage in post-camp training to consolidate the skill acquired during the orientation.

Two of the corps participants, Miss Udenzi Chinaza from the University of Nigeria Nzuka and Mr Charles Daniel from Federal University of Technology, Minna express delight at their posting and pledged to contribute to the development of their host communities.

Two thousand and ninety youth participated in the three weeks orientation exercise for the Batch C Stream II corps including one thousand four hundred and forty-three posted to Osun and six hundred and fifty-three dislodged from Lagos states.

One of the female corps members dislodged from Lagos delivered a baby on the Camp during the exercise.

Adenitan Akinola

Economy

FG Engages Monitoring Officers For Social Investment Programmes

By Web News 646

As part of federal government’s efforts towards evaluating the performance of the social investment programme at the grassroot ,66 trained independent monitoring officials have been engaged for timely report of the scheme. 

The event which was anchored by the federal ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development was held at the Oyo  state Secretariat, Ibadan.

In her welcome address, the permanent secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Christiana Abioye said two hundred and nine thousand ,one hundred and twenty pupils  pupils drawn from two thousand four hundred and fifty eight  public primary schools are currently benefiting from the homegrown programme.

Mrs Abioye who said the scheme was a right step in the right direction noted that federal government social investment programme was in line with the poverty alleviation programme of the state governor.

She, however, appealed to federal government to expand the social investment programme in view of the large increasing population in the state. 

Represented by the Assistant Director, Planning, Research and statistics, in the ministry, Mrs Jumai Abdu-Ali, the Minister, ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development,Sadya Farouq said the sixty youths had earlier been trained for the programme  saying a reminder training on the application of the social investment management information system,SIMIS became imperative for effective service delivery.

The Minister said the sum of thirty thousand  could be paid as stipend to the participants while the contract would last for one year.

The Minister who said  four thousand four hundred and fifty two applicants were shortlisted out of  the five thousand applicants that applied Nationwide stressed the need for the participants to  handle the task given them with full sense of responsibility.

The independent monitoring officials were to undertake periodic report on the performance of all federal government social investment and job creation programmes such as the  N-power, Home grown school feeding and conditional cash transfer  in their respective local governments in Oyo state.

Two of the participants Mr Olayinka Babarinde and Mrs Jumoke Ismail lauded the programme and appealed to federal government to sustain the scheme so as to enable them to plan their future through the stipends that would be given to them.

Rotimi Famakin