The First Bank Plc has donated N15m towards the building of the Entrepreneurial Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti.The Business Manager, Public Sector South, Ondo/Ekiti, Mr. Dele Bakare, who presented the cheque to the Rector of the institution, Mrs. Taiwo Akande, in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, said the bank would continue to promote self sufficiency in order to address the problem of unemployment in the country.He said, "We shall continue to partner with the Polytechnic. FirstBank has shifted focus to supporting the education sector, that is why the bank is donating this N5m towards the development of entrepreneurial studies."We know that entrepreneurial studies is not a narrow thing, we know that there will be the need for training of the facilitators and the need to equip the centre."Bakare said that the bank was working on how to make its presence felt on the campus.He said that the bank would put up a branch either on the campus or close to the polytechnic. Bakare added that the branch could be a quick service point so that those who needed the banks services would no longer travel far to do so.He said that the bank had got an approval to build a branch at the Federal University of Technology Akur, saying the ones to be built in two institutions in Ekiti State would soon begin.The rector who expressed gratitude to the management of the bank said that First Bank was the main banker of the institution.She said that the N5m donation was not enough while asking the bank to provide the balance.According to her, " We want the centre to be branded with First Banks colour with its name and logo. We want it to be completed as soon as possible. We have set up a public works committee that will be in charge of the building.CoopXchange boosts economy with corporate farming.In complementing the current efforts of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria to revive the agricultural sector, CoopXchange Limited, a cooperative organisation, has embarked on cooperative farming.Speaking during an interview on Friday, the Chief Executive Officer, CoopXchange Limited, Mr Adebola Orolugbagbe, maintained that the agricultural sector had suffered neglect in past administrations, and that the firm had decided to save the situation by strategising through its "Farmers Cooperative to save the country from the dearth of food produce."He said the firms approach was strategic organisation of the operation of some value chain, which included the organisation of farmers, who are members of the cooperative; provision of farming materials which include fertiliser, chemical and other farming equipment; harvesting of the farm produce; storage and marketing through CoopXchange Marketing Union.He said, "Funding will not be a problem as loans will be given to farmers through the CoopXchange Thrift and Credit Union."He said the organisation had been licensed to operate in the six states of the South West geopolitical zone of the country and the six area councils of Abuja, while preparations were on to start operation in Plateau and Kano States.'Stating that the programme of the organisation would engender employment generation, Orolugbagbe added that the sale of agricultural produce to agencies and organisations within the country and exportation of cash crops would boost revenue generation in line with President Goodluck Jonathans economic transformation agenda.'While expressing confidence in the Jonathan-led administration in the area of reviving the agricultural industry, Orolugbagbe said that the organisation had already begun operations by meeting with relevant stakeholders like the Farmers Association of Nigeria.
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