The Oyo State Government has embarked on an intensive training package for over 4,472 rural dwellers through the State Rural Finance Institution-Building (RUFIN) in nine local government areas in the state.
The state government said that the 2-day training was meant to support, empower and consolidate group cohesion dynamics as well as management of rural financing.
Speaking at the weekend during the flag-off of the training programme held at Ikoyile, Oriire local government area of the state, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Prince Oyewole Oyewumi said that the training would enable the rural dwellers to become credit worthy groups.
He noted that after the training, they would be linked with financial institutions for loan accessibility by RUFIN.
Prince Oyewumi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Victor Atilola, reiterated that the present administration in the state placed priority on food security, poverty reduction among the people at the grassroots as well as job creation through its various agricultural policies and programmes which had enabled a favorable environment for investors.
He posited that RUFIN would not give loan facilities directly to the participants but rather link them up with the financial institutions with lower interest rates after meeting the necessary requirements.
He stated that the Group Dynamics played a fundamental role in group functionality.
In his speech, the State RUFIN Programme Coordinator, Olusola Ogundiran, said the participants were divided into groups to allow for monitoring and connections with financial institutions.
He noted that the programme was not focused on farmers alone but also rural dwellers to reduce poverty in rural areas.
He added that the groups would be trained across nine local governments including Ikoyi-Oriire, Ona-Ara, Oluyole, Ibarapa North, Iwerele in Iwajowa, Afijio, Jobele, Akinyele, Atisbo and Ibarapa East local government areas.
