The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim has said that more than one million, four hundred thousand ex-corps had benefited from the scheme’s skills acquisition training since its commencement in year 2012.
He stated this in his office when he played host to the chairman, Nigerians in Disapora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa who was on a courtesy visit.
Ibrahim stated that NYSC management was determined to increase the awareness of entrepreneurship development and wealth creation among corps members.
He pointed out that the introduction of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme was the sacheme’s way of contributing towards youth empowerment so as to reduce unemployment.
“We have gone into partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry and other financial institutions which have been giving soft loans to corps members to start their own businesses.
“As you partner with wealthy Nigerians in the disapora, try and encourage them to assist our corps members in the area of training or other financial assistance that could make them employers of labour,” the DG said.
Ibrahim stressed the need to harness the potentials of Nigerians in diaspora towards national development.
General Ibrahim revealed the readiness of the scheme to partner with the commission in order to achieve its mandate.
He added that “There is need to set up an inter-ministerial committee that will interface with the relevant government agencies in order to discourage youths from enrolling in mushroom universities outside the country.”
In the same vein, lbrahim encouraged the commission to bring its expertise to the fore in the area of assisting the scheme discourages corps members from risking their lives by travelling abroad through illegal routes.
Earlier, The NIDCOM chairman, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the NYSC chief executive for his tremendous achievements since assumption of duty.
She thanked the NYSC management for assisting the commission in the discharge of its mandate.
Dabiri enthused that her NYSC service year changed her life positively through her experiences as a corps member at the News Agency of Nigeria, where she honed her skill as a journalist.
