The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Director-General, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim has appealed to members of the public to send memoranda to the House Committee on Youth and Sports, as well as make a physical appearance at the public hearing to drum support for the establishment of NYSC Trust Fund.
He said the public hearing on the bill would hold on February 24 this year, having scaled the second reading at the House of Representatives.
He stated this today in Abuja during the opening ceremony of 2022 Batch ‘A’ Pre-Orientation Workshop, with the theme; “Repositioning the critical components of the Orientation Course content to address prevailing challenges”.
He said the Trust Fund would help address infrastructural deficits in the NYSC Orientation Camps, ensure adequate provision of other operational logistics as well as reduce the number of unemployed graduates in the country.
“When the NYSC Trust Fund becomes operational, the number of Corps entrepreneurs will increase drastically, and they will in turn help to provide jobs for millions of other youths in the country. This will equally help reduce the issue of security challenges faced in the country.
Already, a number of ex-trainees of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme have established flourishing businesses in several states across the country and have employed or trained many youths of the host communities”, he said.
In a statement from the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Emeka Mgbemena, the NYSC DG listed some of the challenges faced by the Scheme including inadequate facilities in some of Orientation Camps, inadequate training materials for the SAED programme, in addition to the limited funding opportunities for the SAED trainees to actualize their business plans.
“This partly informed our sustained advocacy for the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund”, he said.
Ibrahim added that the workshop was convened to enable NYSC Top Management, key camp officials and collaborating partners to review the previous Orientation Courses with a view to improving the Scheme’s performance in the next one.
The DG said despite daunting challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and peculiarities of the operating environment, the Scheme has been able to conduct Orientation exercises successfully.
“Part of the measures leading to the successes recorded is the strict enforcement of COVID-19 safety protocols in all our Orientation Camps.
In this regard, the Scheme is working closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and State Ministries of Health on procedures for the safe conduct of the exercise.
I would like to assure you that our commitment to the safety of Corps Members and Staff in all our operations remains unwavering”, he added.
Speaking further, the NYSC Chief Executive expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-9, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control including Federal and State Ministries of Health for the support given to the NYSC, especially towards the hitch-free conduct of the Orientation Courses.
He urged them to sustain the tempo as the Scheme prepares for the forthcoming exercise.
He lauded the FCT Administration for the augmentation of feeding for Corps Members and Camp Officials during the Orientation Course.
“Our appreciation also goes to traditional rulers and the Security Agencies for their roles in ensuring the safety of Corps members deployed to the Territory”, DG added.
While declaring the workshop open, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Alhaji Muhammad Musa Bello commended NYSC Management for the pragmatic leadership style and administrative prowess deployed in running the affairs of the Scheme.
“We in the FCT commend various innovations and positive turn around the Scheme has witnessed so far”, the Minister said.
Bello, who was represented by the Secretary, Social Development Secretariat, Hajiya Hadiza Kabir added that the FCT Administration would not relent at providing the necessary support to the NYSC at all times, especially as it relates to the security and welfare of Corps Members.
He urged the workshop participants to make useful contributions during the proceedings.
The Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Ahmed Wada Ikaka in his introductory address disclosed that the workshop was organized in preparation for the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Stream One and Two Orientation courses.
He added that in the course of the workshop, participants would review the previous Orientation exercises, especially the challenges encountered and the best practices to enable necessary adjustments during the next exercise.
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