14th June 2006, LAGOS: About 50 persons have been trained and given starter packs by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) as part of its community development initiativ for host communities.
The programme which was organized in partnership with the African Regional Aquaculture centre, Aluu near Port Harcourt, exposed the participants to the rudiments of table fish, production, fingerling broiler, pig, snail and crop production.
Speaking during the occasion, the General Manger, External Relations of NLNG, Ms. Sienne Allwell Brown said, the programme was conceived to fill gaps in the development of Agro-enterprise, which followed the results of due diligence performed on the implementation of N500m micro-credit scheme and youth empowerment scheme for host communities.
Miss Allwell Brown, urged the participants to make good use of the skills they have acquired, adding that the task of achieving success lies with them.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Ndubuisi Adikema, thanked NLNG and African Regional Aquaculture Centre for the programme which had a selection of persons who are already into agro-allied farming business.
Chief Adikema, added that the benefits of the programme will have an economic rippling effect and urged NLNG to sustain the tempo to build the state's rural economy.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Head economic empowerment and development, NLNG, Mr Belejit Ikuru had said that the programme marked the beginning of a relationship that should lead to improved agro-enterprise businesses in their communities.
Responding on behalf of the participants, Chief Wofuru Okparaolu, thanked NLNG for the opportunity afforded them to develop their skills and aquire fresh knowledge on agro-based business entrepreneurship adding that they will live up to the demand of the programme.
Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of six categories of starter packs to beneficiaries by the NLNG.
The beneficiaries of the programme went home with table fish production, 300G Catfish fingerlings, 4(25Kg) bags of fish feed, piglets, bags of poultry feed and adult snails.
Others are fingerling production: three gravid female catfish, three gravid male catfish, 1 bag (25Kg) of broodstock feed, 1 bag (25Kg) of fry feed, five mils of ovaprim hormone, 50G of Shell free artemia, incubation tray/fish breeding accessories.
