By Ngozi Nwankwo
Corps Members have been advised to acquire new skills through the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme in order to enable them create jobs of their own.
The NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Y Danjuma Ahmed stated this while addressing Corps Members in Gombe State Orientation Camp, Amada, and Taraba State Orientation Camp in Sibre.
Ahmed said many Ex-Corps Members who utilized the opportunities of the service year to learn new skills are now employers of labour in different locations across the country.
The Director General also admonished the Corps Members to tap into the enormous benefits of the North-East Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development,SAED, training centre in Gombe to acquire additional skills and get trained with sophisticated equipment for enhanced future empowerment.
“We have many partners like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, Access Bank, NNPC Foundation, Kudimata among others, that are ready to assist you with business grants, mentorship and loans”, the DG said.
Speaking further, he warned them not to deface their NYSC uniforms, but ensure that they dress properly at all times.
Ahmed said improper dressing while in NYSC uniforms attract sanctions, adding that every Corps Member is expected to abide by the Scheme’s dress code.
He also advised the Corps Members to add value to their host communities by executing projects that would improve their standards of living.
In his Orientation Camp brief, the NYSC Gombe State Coordinator, Mrs Chinwe Nnenna Nwachukwu said 1,372 Corps Members comprising 767 males and 605 females were in camp, and have all adjusted to the regimented camp life.
Similarly, the Taraba State Coordinator, Mr Ella Aji-Williams informed the Director General that all the 1,336 Corps Members made up of 804 males and 532 females are actively participating in all the camp activities.
While in Taraba Camp, General Ahmed planted a tree in continuation of the tree planting campaign programme of the Federal Government that was recently flagged-off by the Minister for Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio-Ibrahim.