The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim has advised corps members across the country against borrowing to execute community development projects in their places of primary assignment.
Brigadier General Ibrahim gave the advice during the formal swearing-in of 2020 Batch “A” Stream One Corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Umuawulu-Mbaukwu, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
One thousand nine hundred and twenty-six corps members were at the ceremony, sworn in for the 3-week mandatory orientation camp.
The NYSC DG who noted that community development service was evolved to avail corps members the opportunity to embark on individual or group projects that will impact on their host communities, urged the corps members to explore the resources within their host communities to undertake the projects.
“Corps members should take advantage of people of their host communities to achieve this initiative. Let them be involved in what you are doing. Source for funds among them. Once they are involved, they will take full ownership of the projects and ensure that they are sustained after you must have passed out from service,” he advised the corps members.
Brigadier General Ibrahim revealed that the scheme has skill acquisition programs to ensure that corps members are gainfully employed after service.
According to him, “Because jobs are not readily available, the NYSC in 2012 established skill acquisition and entrepreneurship programs. Through this scheme, we have trained about 1.4 million ex-corps members who have established their businesses and are doing well. Apart from being self-reliant, they are also creators of wealth by employing other Nigerians. We have our stakeholders, the Bank of Industry, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NYSC Foundation and others that are willing to avail your loans so that you can start your businesses. So, take it very seriously and you will make something meaningful out of it.”
He warned the corps members against unnecessary and unpermitted travels as the Corps frowns seriously at it.
“We have realized that most of the deaths recorded are as a result of road traffic crashes. Most corps members embark on journeys without permission. The approval process for travels within Nigeria, is from the employer to the local government inspector, to the zonal inspector and then to the State Coordinator. For journeys outside Nigeria, it is only the Director-General that can grant the approval. You are going to be given security tips in camp, please take them seriously for your own safety,” Ibrahim emphasized.
Earlier, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare had joined Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, to formally open the Permanent Orientation Camp Complex Umuawulu/Mbaukwu.
Inaugurating the project, Governor Obiano said the facility is expected to create 300 direct jobs and over 1000 indirect jobs in keeping with his administration’s resolve to embark on gainful investments.
“On 10th February 2015 precisely, I laid the foundation stone of this complex with the intention of building the best NYSC Orientation Camp in Nigeria. It is equipped with all the amenities needed in a modern camp. It was designed to accommodate 3000 people. The complex also has an auditorium that has a capacity to accommodate 3000 people in a sitting arrangement. I am immensely delighted to be here to formally commission it and I think that the members of 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream 1 have every reason to be happy for being the first set of Corps members to use this facility after its inauguration. Let me restate the commitment of my administration to the NYSC Skills Acquisition Centre for the South-East region which is located in Anambra state. We will ensure the speedy completion of the project to ensure that the objectives of the center shall be fully realized,” he promised.
The Youths and Sports Minister said President Muhammad Buhari in his commitment towards the welfare of youths through the approval of #33,000 as a monthly allowance for the corps members.
In his remarks, “The President gave this approval because he believes in the cause of the youths. I also want to commend Governor Obiano for this investment towards supporting the NYSC. This facility stands in adroit testimony to his commitment towards investing in the lives of our youths. It is a lasting legacy that will benefit not just these set of corps members but other generations of corps members to come. I implore other states to emulate the Anambra model.”
