Okpebholo’s N1.6b LIFE-ND counterpart fund to generate 2,000 jobs

The Edo Coordinator of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise, Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), Mr John Omoruyi, on Tuesday, disclosed that the allocation of N1.6 billion as counterpart funding for the LIFE-ND Plus programme will create over 2,000 jobs in the state’s agricultural sector.

Speaking to newsmen in Benin about the impact and activities of the LIFE-ND initiative, Omoruyi hailed Governor Monday Okpebholo’s unprecedented allocation of N70 billion to agriculture in the 2025 budget.

He noted that the investment would significantly address poverty and empower rural communities.

Omoruyi explained that the LIFE-ND programme was a collaborative effort co-funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in partnership with the Edo State Government.

“The LIFE-ND initiative is being implemented across nine states in the Niger Delta region. The primary aim is to stimulate rural economies through agribusiness. Women and youths aged 18 to 35 years are trained and supported using an incubation model similar to the Igbo apprenticeship system, where trainees eventually establish their own businesses. This approach ensures that each participant becomes an entrepreneur in agricultural business, enhancing household productivity, income, and nutrition,” Omoruyi said.

Omoruyi described Governor Okpebholo’s N70 billion agricultural allocation as a landmark achievement, adding that N1.6 billion out of the N70 billion has been earmarked for the LIFE-ND Plus programme to expand the project’s coverage.

“Currently, the LIFE-ND initiative operates in 10 local government areas in Edo State, but with the governor’s intervention, the remaining eight local governments will also be included,” he added.

He further noted that the extension would generate over 2,000 jobs and bolster food security across the state.