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By Raymond Osho
ABEOKUTA – As part of efforts to improve ease of doing business, especially among the farmers and agribusiness operators, the Ogun State government has facilitated a business meeting between financial institutions and agribusiness operators in order to position them for loan obligations.
The Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on Agriculture, Dr. (Mrs.) Angel Adelaja-Kuye while speaking during the 4- Day Seminar held in Abeokuta revealed that the 100 youths were picked from the Ogun Job portal as part of the current administration’s efforts to reduce unemployment.
She said that the Ogun state government through the Ministry of Agriculture partnered with Financial institutions to train 100 youths in order to ensure they have access to loans to boost their agric businesses.
Adelaja Kuye added that the job portal which was created by the State government has really helped in providing jobs for the youths in the state, saying that Governor Abiodun is working to empower youths in various sectors of the State economy, including agriculture, industry trade investment, health, education among others
Her words, ”Today we are training about hundred individuals , this training is an empowerment itself because after the 4 -day training, they will get their certificates, that certificates is a key to so many different Agric finance opportunities which they will need to apply for any financial institutions so any financiers that see their certificates will know that they have gone through regress training, business plan writing and financial management on how to manage their business efficiently and they are more likely to get funds from financial institutions.
”The individuals were picked through the Ogun Job Portal so it opens to any youths in the state who want to apply. It sent information to all youths group, women groups. It also sent to local governments as well and we have youths across the state representing each senotarial districts are here today to take part in the programme.
“This is just a pilot, this is the first one we will be doing on this programme and is going to be regular activity, where we will continue to link them to this funding, the success of these youths is going to actually show to other youths on how much opportunities are in accessing agricultural finance and we hope that even without this programme these youths can be a testament to how to effectively access Agriculture finance so that the young people around them can key in as well with or without the training”.
She said that the initiative behind the programme is to boost agricultural productivity, Agri business capacity and the entire gross domestic product, GDP.
Meanwhile, one of the the participants who is an agriculturist identified as Adewuyi David appreciated the state government for organizing the programme, saying that it was a fantastic one.
He sad that the initiative will help to expand his agric business when he has access to loans.
Adewuyi said that he believed strongly that after the workshop they will have access to funds from financial institutions.
Also another participant identified as Tope Babalola who said that the training is meant to teach them on how to get access to loans, appreciated the state government for the initiative.
He said that lack of funds is one of the problem of the youths to boost business, saying that with this programme, he is quite sure they will get funds to expand his business.
