Agaju Madugba, Katsina
The Katsina State Government has extended its economic empowerment programme to media practitioners in the area as about 60 journalist from the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Tuesday began a training programme on poultry, fishery and bee-keeping.
The programme was organised through the Katsina State Economic Empowerment Directorate (KASEED).
Declaring the training open, Governor Aminu Bello Masari explained that, “the training is to provide the journalists with a window of sustainable means of livelihood after years of service.”
According to Governor Masari, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Empowerment, Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, the beneficiaries would also receive training on entrepreneurship development during the programme.
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The Governor said, “poultry, fishery and bee-keeping are cardinal aspects of agriculture development and economic empowerment that if well harnessed can provide means of livelihood to the operator of the business and they also have a chain of effects on the economy of the people who live around them.
“The training is to provide a window of sustainable livelihood for the journalist after years of active service in journalism.
“They will also be trained in entrepreneurship development to turn them to business men and women using the skills they are going to acquire from the training.
“After the entrepreneurship training, we are going to subject you to submit business proposals after which all those who score 40 per cent and above will be provided with window of funding opportunity by the state government to start the business.
“We would like to see the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture and the State Ministry of Agriculture to be part of the training because the it will be further driven by funding.”