Authority Engages 380 Youths On Agric Programme

The Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA) says it has engaged over 300 youths in agricultural programmes to reduce unemployment in Rivers and Bayelsa States in 2017 alone.
The Managing Director of the authority, Engr. Tonye David-West, disclosed this Monday at a send-forth ceremony organised for 22 retirees of the authority in Port Harcourt.
He said the authority had during the year engaged over 180 youths for agricultural scheme in Afam, headquarters of Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He also said similar number of youths were also engaged in other branches of the authority in the South-South zone of the country.
According to him, production of foods in South-South has increased geometrically following the substantial improvement of the various farms of the authority.
He said by the Grace of God, agriculture will soon compete with oil and gas in terms of employment generation, and internally generated revenue for the zone.
On the retirees, the Managing Director said four staff have retired in 2017, while 18 staff are to be retiring in 2018, after serving the authority for 35 years and compulsory retirement age of 60 years.
David-West said the retirees were honoured for hard work and diligence to duty.
He charged staff in service to emulate the good conducts of the retirees to promote the authority.
The Managing Director who used the occasion to highlight some achievements of his administration, said the authority has settled all outstanding salaries and arrears of both junior and senior staff promotion, reconstruction of the authority’s security and drivers’ offices, provision of automated water factory machine, and acquisition of eight and half plots of land in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State for the authority’s office building.

Enoch Epelle