By Ngozi Nwankwo
Director General of National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Yakubu D. Ahmed has advised Corps Members to embrace skills acquisition in order to become self independent and job creators.
Ahmed said skill empowerment is the only antidote to the increasing rate of youth unemployment in the country.
The Director General stated further that the Management of NYSC introduced Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development training into its Orientation Course content in 2012 in order to empower Corps Members with relevant skills that can make them financially independent instead of searching for the unavailable salaried jobs.
Ahmed disclosed this today while interacting with Corps Members during his visit to Plateau State Temporary Orientation Camp in Doi-Du and also Benue State Orientation Camp in Wannune.
He encouraged the Corps Members to learn at least a skill while in camp and thereafter follow up with post-camp training in order to perfect their skills for better output.
“We are into partnership with many financial institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Access Bank, Unity Bank, Bank of Industry,BOI, NNPC Foundation among others that are ready to offer loans for you to start your businesses.
“Many of your predecessors that accepted this offer before are now business owners in different vocations across the country”, he said.
The Director General also urged the Corps Members to beware of people with negative characters and avoid actions that can make them run foul of the law.
He enjoined them to respect the culture and traditions of their host communities and live peacefully with the residents.
The NYSC Plateau State Coordinator, Mrs Ikupolati Oluwatosin Esther informed the Director General that all the 1,551 Corps Members consisting of 798 males and 753 females are well-behaved and have been participating actively in all camp activities.
Also, the NYSC Benue State Coordinator, Mr Abe Dankaro Ashumate said the synergy between all camp officials and cooperation from the Corps Members have tremendously helped towards maintaining law and order within the camp.
“All the 1,656 Corps Members are exceptionally disciplined and have been joined the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development training”, the Coordinator said.