275 youths in Niger Delta area have benefited from the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and its Joint Venture agro expertise acquisition by the Green Rivers Project scheme.The Vice Chairman/ Managing Director of NAOC, Massimo Insulla, stated the particular agricultural scheme was launched in 2016 to satisfy the current day financial and social realities and to bridge the hole between the getting older farmers and make agriculture engaging to youths.
Insulla, who spoke on the commencement ceremony of pioneer class of 2017/2018 NAOC-JV Agro-Skills Acquisition Training Programme in Port Harcourt just lately, stated the scheme was launched to extend employment technology.
He also said that the selection of agriculture for the empowerment of youths was according to the Federal Government’s imaginative and prescient on diversification of the financial system.The trainees had been drawn from the 4 states of NAOC operationsRivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Imo Stateshad been educated in Skills equivalent to fisheries, poultry, livestock and crop farming.
The Managing Director also said that the scheme was launched to make youths change into self -reliant and finally employers of labour.He added: “This programme will create an enabling environment for youths to embrace agricultural value chains as a business venture, equip the trainees with relevant agro-skills necessary for the establishment and efficient management of small -scale agro industries”
Insulla charged the trainees to make the most of the chance and rework their financial fortune and that of their communities. Also talking, the Group General Manager of NAPIMS, Rowland Ewubare represented by deputy Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Clementina Arubi, lauded NAOC for the initiative and urged the trainees to make good use of the chance given to them.
On his half, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando, Wale Tinubu, stated the essence of the scheme was to bolster that agriculture isn't merely crop manufacturing, however contains manufacturing of meals, using the ample land and water that the communities have been blessed with.
Tinubu, who was represented by Kofo Tunji-Olagunju pressured that with out agriculture, it might be not possible to have inventory markets, banks, urging the trainees to take the positive aspects of the scheme severely.
On his half, the President of the NAOC JV Agro Trainee Scheme, Christian Achonwa, counseled the Joint Venture for the initiative, including that such scheme sustained would assist in tackling crime amongst youths of Niger Delta.