The Traffic

"FIRS Empowers Southwest Youths to Revolutionize Livestock Farming and Combat Poverty"

By Achimi Muktar

In a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering communities and fostering economic growth, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has launched a livestock farming training program targeting youths in Nigeria’s southwest. The initiative, which spans Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti states, seeks to equip participants with the skills needed to thrive as livestock farmers, thereby tackling unemployment, boosting food security, and driving economic transformation.

At the program’s first phase in Ibadan, Benedicta Akpana, representing the Office of the Technical Assistant to the Executive Chairman of FIRS on Special Duties, emphasized the long-term vision of the initiative. According to Akpana, the program is designed not only to empower the initial group of trainees but also to create a ripple effect, where beneficiaries will mentor others, fueling job creation and economic sustainability.

“FIRS is currently sponsoring a livestock farming training and empowerment program for youths in the Southwest, particularly in Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti states,” Akpana announced. “We’ve just concluded the first phase in Oyo State. The next phase is scheduled for Ekiti State on December 12-13, followed by Ondo State on December 16-17.”

Femi Oludare Rowland, the convener of the Livestock Training Programme, shed light on the broader goals of the initiative, describing it as a vital step toward youth employment, poverty eradication, and ensuring food security. “We need more youths to return to agriculture,” Rowland stated. “Agriculture presents vast opportunities, including the potential to feed the nation and build sustainable livelihoods.”

The initiative also received accolades from participants. Fikayo Akinwunmi, one of the trainees, praised FIRS for the comprehensive two-day program, highlighting its role in strengthening national food security. Akinwunmi further called for expanded support, including access to loans for small poultry businesses, to enhance productivity and scale operations.

With this program, FIRS not only underscores the importance of agriculture in fostering national development but also paves the way for a new generation of empowered, self-reliant youth, ready to contribute to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and fulfill their civic responsibilities as taxpayers.

As the program progresses to Ekiti and Ondo states, expectations are high that this initiative will leave an indelible mark, reshaping the agricultural landscape and uplifting countless lives across the southwest.