The Ogun State Government has empowered youths in the state with 54,000 broiler birds in the third phase of Broilers Project, as part of measures to further reduce the rate of unemployment in the state.

Dr. Adeola Odedina, the Ogun Commissioner for Agriculture, disclosed this during an inspection tour of Eweje Farm Institute in Odeda Local Government, where the empowerment programme took place. He said that the participants are to raise the third circle for six weeks and still make profit. Odedina, who hinted that the beneficiaries made an average profit of N150,000 profit every six weeks of production during the first and second phases, said that they are expected to make huger profit in the third phase.

He stressed that the third phase built upon the two previous phases, which witnessed 54 beneficiaries, each of whom were empowered with 1,000-day-old broiler chicks. He said: “We were here to launch the first circle where the participants, within a space of six months, made an average profit of about N150,000 from raising 1,000 broilers per person.

He continued: “Participants are supposed to raise this third circle for about six weeks and still make profit. We will allow the beneficiaries share their experiences with the world because they are the face of agriculture, not only in Ogun state but also in Nigeria at large.

Odedina further revealed that about 9, 000 other youths in the state had indicated interest in participating in the project. As a result, the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, gave approval for replication of the project in all the 20 local governments in the state, for the benefit of other youths.

He said: “Governor Abiodun has given approval for replication of this project in all the 20 local governments in the state. I have the approval with me and I’m ready to show it to the whole world that we are starting building of poultry infrastructure and we will take at least 1, 000 per local government.” Nigerian Tribune