The 100 farmers were beneficiaries of the second batch of his agricultural empowerment scheme christened Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru Empowerment Programme, FONEP. Each of them received 3 million Naira on Thursday following the successful completion of their two-month training at Agbani farm in Enugu State by Masterskill Development and Services Limited.
Flagging off the disbursement of the fund at Abakaliki, Governor Nwifuru, represented by the State Commissioner for Capital Development and Monitoring, Mrs Ann Aligwe, 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, 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.
He explained that the disbursement of the fund 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.
"You people were supposed to be empowered financially last January but the state government was busy trying to finish with the programme of sending the scholarship beneficiaries to abroad.
"3 million Naira has been approved for each person among the 100 beneficiaries of the second batch FONEP in agricultural training, as usual. That's why you can see the Zenith Bank team here, to ensure proper profiling and disbursement are made today successfully.
"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," the governor said.
He noted that both the first and second-batch beneficiaries of FONEP 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.
"Even if you are a civil servant, you need to ask yourself, how many years of your salary would earn you 3 million Naira? This money is not given to you to go and marry your wife, bury relatives or join a committee of friends. I thank God we waited for the Valentine's Day celebration to finish up before the disbursement of this fund.
"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," she added.
Also speaking, Henry Onyebuchi 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. You should try to put all you acquired into practice because it will go a long way to promote food security and a healthy economy not only in Ebonyi State but Nigeria at large," Nworie stated.
Ngozi Daniel Ajah, the Zenith Bank representative, commended the state governor, Francis Nwifuru, for prioritizing grassroots development, especially in the areas of human empowerment and infrastructural advancement. Some of the beneficiaries, Aligwe Patrick, Chiamaka Ogerenya, Sonya Igwe, and Godwin Okoro, among others, expressed gratitude over the gesture and assured of utilizing the fund given to them to advance their skills in farming and other agricultural activities for the benefit of humanity in the state and beyond.
Victor Nwegede
