FCT minister, Alhaji Muhammad Musa Bello, said the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) scheme has the capacity to effectively drive Nigeria’s economic recovery process.
Bello spoke Monday when he declared open a two-day symposium on the imperatives of an NYSC trust fund, which has as its theme: ‘Consolidating the Gains of the NYSC in Youth Empowerment and National Development in the Face of Curent Economic Realities’.
Bello, who was represented by Mrs Asabe Umar, director, Youth, Social Development Secretariat, added that the scheme can do this through the empowerment of its teeming youth, given the budding talents at its disposal.
The minister stated that NYSC is one of the most cherished national institutions bequeathed to the country to foster unity, integration and national development after the unfortunate civil war.
“Over the years however, the realisation of the objectives for establishing the scheme have been hampered by myriad of challenges.
“They include funding, provision of infrastructure and lately start up capital for corps members trained through the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme, ” the minister said.
Bello commended the management of the scheme for rising to the occasion to address the challenges facing its operations, through the proposed trust fund.
Also speaking, the minister of youth and sports, Mr Sunday Dare said NYSC has continuously lived up to the dreams and aspirations of its founding fathers.
Represented by Mr Despan Kwardam, assistant director, Youth Rights and Leadership he said, “This is evidenced by the numerous achievements of the scheme, though it has not come without challenges.”
