Represented by Mrs Maureen Okeji, NDE State Coordinator in Rivers, Fikpo stated that the directorate decided to move the inauguration of scheme to the doorstep of the trainees for them to know what NDE was all about.
“Ordinarily, what we normally do is to invite you to the state office in Port Harcourt and do the flag-off.
“So, we decided to come down to Umuebulu to carry out the official commissioning of the scheme, instead of taking you to Port Harcourt.
So, I want you to take this training seriously as NDE has done its part by coming to you and training you free of charge,” he said.
According to the director-general, government wants unemployed Nigerians to be self-employed and train more people.
“The idea is that when you learn a skill, you go with it to create wealth and create a multiplier effect by inviting others to acquire the same skill.
“When you are self-employed, you can invite and train others to be like you; so, we don’t want this training to end with you.
“NDE is ready for you, the rural dwellers, and we expect you to challenge us with your output to encourage government to do more,” he added.
The Director of REP in NDE, Mr Michael Mbata, stated that the main target of the scheme was to lift people out of poverty through skills acquisition, create jobs, and make them become employers of labour.
Mbata, represented by Mr Chimaobi Eleleme, a staff of NDE, said that the trainees would be supported to put into practice the skills they would acquire with a repayable loan.
He explained that the REP scheme included Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (AES), Graduate Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (GAES), Community Based Agricultural Enhancement Scheme (CBAES), and Sustainable Agricultural Development Enhancement Scheme (SADES).
Youth President of Umuebulu community, Mr Tony Anaele, commended the NDE for initiating the scheme.
“It’s a laudable one, I must commend the Federal Government through the NDE for coming up with this scheme and ultimately targeting the rural dwellers,” he said.
Anaele urged the beneficiaries of the REP scheme to take it seriously and make the needed impact.