By Uka Dave
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has disbursed N300m grant to another set of 100 beneficiaries of the State Government's Agricultural training and Empowerment Programme, FONEB who have completed their advanced farming training at Masters Skills Training Centre, Agbani, Enugu State.
The beneficiaries were trained in freshry, poultry, piggery productions and processing; and other departments of modern agricultural practices.
Each of the beneficiaries of the Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru Empowerment Programme, FONEP received 3 million Naira each.
Speaking during the disbursement of the fund in Abakaliki, Governor Nwifuru commended the beneficiaries for being orderly and committed to their training programme, which led to their successful graduation last year December.
He recalled that last year October, the 100 beneficiaries of the first batch of the programme were, after their graduation, empowered with 3 million Naira each to start their farming businesses in the state.
The governor who was represented by the State Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Mrs Ann Aligwe, explained that the disbursement of the funds to the second batch beneficiaries of the programme was delayed because the state government was busy trying to finish dispatching the awardees of the state scholarship scheme, among other government activities.
"3 million Naira has been approved for each person among the 100 beneficiaries of the second batch FONEP training programme, as usual.
"That's why you can see the Zenith Bank team here, to ensure proper profiling and disbursement are made today.
"In the Ministry of Human Capital Development and Monitoring in Ebonyi State, we ensure the real beneficiaries are captured and they get what is due for them.
"This empowerment is not a jamboree because we are monitoring the first batch, and we have discovered that those in poultry made a lot of gains last season," Aligwe said.
He noted that the beneficiaries underwent serious training in the different agricultural departments, including fishery, poultry, piggery and some aspects of crop farming, and advised them to utilize the funds for the programme and not divert it to charity services or appreciation gifts for their nominees.
"This is a life-changing miracle money, and once you get your alert, go on and start the business; begin to put all you learnt at Agbani farm into practice because we're embarking on all-inclusive supervision and monitoring to make sure you do the right."
Also speaking, Mr Henry Nworie, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Human Capital Development and Monitoring, commended the beneficiaries of the programme and urged them to speed up their farm activities with the money to ensure optimal performance.
"The time to utilize what you acquired from the Masterskill Development and Services Limited has come, and you have to be exemplary by making the state proud by putting all you acquired into practice because it will go a long way to promote food security and healthy economy in Ebonyi State and Nigeria at large," Nworie stated.
Some of the beneficiaries, Aligwe Patrick, Kingsley Nwamkpuma, Chiamaka Ogerenya, Sonya Igwe, and Godwin Okoro, among others, expressed gratitude over the gesture and assured of utilizing the fund to advance their skills in farming and other agricultural activities for the benefit of humanity.
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