The Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Startimes, says it will partner with Dangote Group on Naija Farmer Reality Show as a way of solving unemployment challenges in the country.
Mr Chigbo Okoli, Promoter/Chief of NTA Startimes, said this when he led other stakeholders on a courtesy visit to Dangote Group office in Abuja on Tuesday.
Okoli said the visit was to partner with the Dangote Group inline with President Muhammadu Buhari campaign to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
According to him, we are here because of Mr President campaign, we want to work with Dangote Group to help solve unemployment challenges in Nigeria through Naija Farmers Reality Show.
“NTA Startimes Reality show is going to be working with the Dangote Group for the much needed employment for the Nigerian people through the lifting of 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
“The essentials of this initiative is also about tackling the most important fundamental problem that Nigeria has and the root of this is unemployment.
“This is not what should be left in the hands of Mr President or the state governors alone, but rather everyone should come on board.
“The project is to reach young people and as you know, young Nigerians are not attracted to farming.
“The initiative is a way to encourage and bring them closer to agriculture, as agriculture is a major employer of labour, we have decided to use this instrumentality for entrainment through the Television Reality Show,” he said.
The startimes promoter, said the Naija Farmers Reality Show was aimed at attracting the youths, trained and empowered them to be employers of labour.
He, however, added that the initiative was being promoted by the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development; Labour and Employment.
He listed other Ministries to include: Youth and Sport and Education, as well as Radio, Television, Theater and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU), among other stakeholders.
Also, Alhaji Nasir Ahmed, Executive Director, Stakeholders Management and Corporate Commutation, Dangote Group, said the initiative was timely.
“Our understanding is that the project is being put in place with the support of NTA and the Nigerian Government.
“The situation we are in today is massive, obviously the consequential poverty in Nigeria is such that if we do not take measures to change the direction of things we may all be in serious trouble.
“So, Dangote Group is willing to do whatever it can to cooperate with the government and other stakeholders in this aspect to lift Nigerians out of poverty line by creating conducive environment for young people to be meaningful engaged and productive to economy.
“As this is the only way we can address the twin problem of insecurity and the issue of poverty in the country. So, all of us at every level have a role to play.
“We are excited about this initiative and we are happy that the media, particularly led by NTA is bringing their skill through the use of this Reality Show to attract the minds of the young people to farming.
“Their participation will remove them from crimes, violence, to more productive activities,” he said.
Ahmed said the success of the show would assist Mr President in its commitment to lift 100 million people out of poverty.
Speaking, Mr Kabir Tsanni, National President, RATTAWU said that as a union, they have a stake in the initiative.
He said that the reality show was to encourage the youths to embrace farming as it would be aired on some selected channel.
