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Army graduates women fish farmers

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7 years ago

October 28, 2017

Olu Emmanuel

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By OKOSUN DENNIS

Nigerian Army has graduated 25 women who participated in a-three-month fish farming course at the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), Makurdi, Benue State.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adamu Baba Abubakar, who was the Special Guest of Honour presented certificates to the women who were all from NASME Cantonment.

National Daily gathered that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai in his wisdom, and considering the importance the Nigerian Army places on the welfare of troops and their families, initiated and successfully ensured the actualization of the establishment of Barracks Investment Initiative Programme(BIIP) in all the NA barracks and cantonments across the nation.

Consequently, in line with the COAS directive, the Commandant NASME, Major General AO Shodanke ensured the establishment of various agro allied businesses, skills acquisition training programmes and cooperative societies for NASME community.

According to the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Colonel Sagir Musa explained in a statement on Saturday in Enugu that the focus was to ensure that barracks women, youths and the unemployed graduates and other school leavers in the barracks are gainfully employed in agro related businesses which could empower them financially to meet their basic necessities of life.

In his address at the occasion, Major General Shodanke stated that “Here in NASME, we effectively established simple modern facilities for mega hatchery, fish farming, goatery and cattle ranches to cater for all categories of interested members of the NASME family.

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“I am happy to state that the number of emerging income earners arising from the noble initiative of the COAS is on the increase daily in NASME cantonment”.

On his part, Major General Abubakar while highlighting the achievements of the BIIP, commended the participants of the course and the chief facilitators; Professor SG Solomon and Dr. Olufeagba of the Department of Fishery and Aquaculture University of Makurdi for a well packaged and executed programme which will certainly benefit the NASME community.

Highlights of the event include the presentation of a simple workable pamphlets, a structured training guide on fish farming, breeding techniques, fish feeds manufacture, pond production and hatchery management written by NASME in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders such as the University of Agriculture Makurdi and the National Industrial Skills and Development.