The Niger  State Government has said that it would collaborate with the Bank of Industry (BoI) to register 30, 000 artisans from the state to be trained in modern arts, craft and agriculture.
The Executive Director, Niger State Council for Arts and Culture, Mr Emmanuel Zhiri, made this known during an interview with newsmen in Minna, Tuesday.
”We have started the registration of 30, 000 artisans to be trained in modern arts, craft and agriculture under the BoI initiative to develop tourism potentialities that  abound in Niger State.
”The participants had an induction last Sunday; followed by an ongoing 10-day registration which started today and immediately after, audition will commence,’’ he said.
Zhiri said that 25,000 out of the 30, 000 participants were selected from the 25 local government areas of the state.
“The remaining 5, 000 were selected from youth leaders and physically challenged persons.’’
He said that the artisans would undergo three months’ training on how to make ceramics and pottery, raffia, cotton and textile, brass, glass work and rice production.
The Executive Director said that the BoI and other private investors would contribute 70 per cent of the funds needed for the project while the state government would contribute the balance of 30 per cent.
Zhiri said that the development of the arts and craft sector would be a collaborative effort by the BoI, state government and other private partners.
He said that the fund would be used to establish arts and craft industries for cotton, ceramics, brass and glass work and also to train the needed manpower.
The Tide source gathered that the council had said on December 5, 2016 that the BoI had set aside N1.7 billion to develop the state’s tourism sector.