Poised to mitigate shortfalls in poultry farming and business in the country, the Dangote Cement Plc has commenced a poultry skill acquisition and empowerment programme for youths.
The General Manager Community Affairs/Special Duties Mr. Ademola Adeyemi said the exercise was part of the 2023 community empowerment scheme for the youth in host communities of Kogi State.
He said the intervention would support the government in boosting poultry production and business.
Adeyemi said 30 youths drawn from the catchment areas had so far been enlisted in the programme with the beneficiary host communities as: Oyo, Obajana, Iwaa and Apata.
“The training is expected to impart positively on poultry production, processing, record keeping and the entrepreneurial skills of the beneficiaries,” he said.
The General Manager Community Affairs/Special Duties said that Starter Packs had been handed over to the beneficiaries at an occasion attended by key stakeholders.
He revealed that the content of the packs include: Point of Laying Hens, Battery Cages, Feeds medication and other working accessories.
He said the College of Education (Technical), Kabba was saddled with the responsibility of carrying out the training on behalf of the Dangote Cement Plc.
Provost of the College of Education (Technical), Kabba, Dr. Jagboro Victoria Olusola (Mrs.) appreciated the Management of Dangote Cement Plc Obajana for the initiative.
She said that the singular effort was an apt demonstration of teaching people on how to fish.
Earlier, the Deputy Provost of the College, Mr. Michael Odoma, who was the anchor person in charge of the training, informed the Plant Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant, Mr. JV Gungune, that the trainees had had two and half months of classroom training sessions during which all aspects of poultry production, processing, bookkeeping, accounting, entrepreneurial skills, etc had been taught.
He said that the classroom teachings had been complemented with practical field visits to notable poultry businesses in and around Kogi State.
The Plant Director urged the beneficiaries to demonstrate high sense of commitment in order to succeed.
He encouraged them to see the starter packs as a tree that needed to be nurtured to bear fruits year in year out on a sustainable basis.
He advised them to be disciplined, prudent and persevere so that they could enjoy the maximum benefits of the initiative.
The Plant Director and the Provost later went on to present 30 starter packs to the participants.
