World Bank to disburse N8.6 billion to youth in 23 states

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The World Bank

 

The World Bank, through the FADAMA III Additional Financing World Bank to disburse N8.6 billion to 

youth in 23 states (AFII) Programme, will soon disburse N8.6 billion to 5,916 youth across the country 

 

in the Graduate Unemployment Youths Support Scheme (FADAMA GUYS).

Kwaji Daguru, the Chairman of FADAMA GUYS Implementation Committee, disclosed this in an interview 



with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mr Daguru, who is also Procurement Specialist for FADAMA III (AFII) Programme, said that the  



programme targeted 5,916 youth in 23 states to improve the country’s agricultural production.

 
The states are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Jigawa, 



Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger,Ogun and Ondo States.




Others include Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara states as well as the Federal Capital 



Territory (FCT).

 


He said that the involvement of youth in the agricultural programme would contribute significantly to the 



country’s efforts to achieve food security and boost capacity building as well as employment opportunities.

 

The enrolment for the programme ended on May 15, 2017 with the aim of selecting the beneficiary youth 



would boost job creation in the 23 states.

Mr Daguru, who said that the funds disbursement had yet to start, however, assured that the money 


earmarked for the project was intact.

He, nonetheless, said that the disbursement would be made through the Grant and Funds category of the 


project.

“We have applied to the federal government, through Federal Ministry of Finance for permission to 



reallocate funds from other categories like Consultancy, Training, Civil Work into the Grant and Funds 


category.

 

“Any moment from now, disbursement will take place, especially to those who would engage in rainy season 


agricultural activities because they have completed the grant agreement and submitted their land documents.

“The Phase One is expected to gulp about N8, 675, 013, 679.12 to fund the business plans of the 5,916 



candidates in 23 states.

“If the resources permit in the last segment of the project, we will be able to upscale to other states in the 


second phase.’’

 


Mr Daguru said: “The objective of the programme is to work with government in three areas of job creation, 



while building capacity of our youths and aiding efforts to keep the foreign exchange rates 

 
low.

“We are making sure we import low quantities of rice and tomatoes, while putting less pressure on our Naira 



(currency) so as to make our economy strong.’’

He said that the target beneficiaries were those with ages between 18 and 35 as well as graduates 



andundergraduates of higher institutions.

“The programme would support all aspects of agricultural production in a business or commercial manner; 



right from crop and livestock production, inputs support supply and advisory services.

“It would also assist extension services and post-harvest production services like storage, warehousing, 



marketing and products distribution.’’

Mr Daguru said that after the screening of the candidates, they would be exposed to a two-week intensive 



training in business and technical fields in the states.
 





“During the application process, candidates would be allowed to choose specific enterprises of their choice 



in the agricultural value chain and they would be trained in the ventures accordingly.

“At the end of the training, they would be asked to submit business plans on their chosen enterprises; we will 



then invite professionals to review the business plans and come up with standard modules.

 



“We have 5,916 trainees and they have opened bank accounts with two selected commercial banks that are 


used by the FADAMA Coordinating Offices in the states.’’

The committee chairman said that the rationale behind the opening of the accounts was to have dedicated 


accounts for the project so as to facilitate proper project monitoring.

Mr Daguru said that the organisers did not want the trainees to use their existing bank accounts, as they 



could be tempted to use ATM (Automated Teller Machine) to withdraw money from the accounts arbitrarily.

“We want to control the use of the funds, while ensuring that the funds are used for the intended purposes.

“They would not be able to withdraw money from the dedicated accounts without prior approval of state 



FADAMA offices.

 




“We will also ensure that they insure their businesses with the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation 



(NAIC) in the business plans.

 



“We have made provision for 2.5 per cent deduction from the total cost of the business as insurance 



premium,’’ he explained. (NAN)