The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET), has commended the House of Representatives over the bill on the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund which recently scaled first reading.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Tuesday, Executive Secretary, Comrade Ikpa Isaac, said the House of Representatives Committee on NYSC, led by Akinfolarin Mayowa, displayed courage and proved that the Trust Fund will potentially tackle unemployment and enhance youth entrepreneurship.
Isaac said the Trust Fund is expected to provide sustainable source of funds for NYSC, skill acquisition training and provision of startup capital to corps members, train and retrain the personnel of the NYSC.
He said the fund will also develop camps and NYSC formations, provide facilities therein, improve the general welfare of corps members and personnel of the scheme and enhance their preparedness to effectively discharge their statutory duties of promoting National unity, integration, self-reliance and accelerated development of the national economy.
Isaac stated that the innovation will deal with graduate unemployment and strengthen the operations of the scheme.
“It is the position of the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency that this is indeed a pleasant development that the NYSC-TF Bill has scaled first reading on the floor of the Federal House of Representatives.
“The debate on the floor of the Federal House of Representatives indicates that members of parliament have a full grasp of the enormous potentials inherent in the proposed NYSC Trust Fund, which is capable of addressing myriads of challenges facing the country with regards to youth development.
“That the Bill passed first reading is a display of courage by members of parliament because they have displayed that those issues of national concern takes centre stage in their legislative agenda.”
Ikpa said: “NYSC Trust Fund is coming at no better time than now, where countries are making concerted efforts towards harnessing the potentials of their youthful population in the drive for sustainable growth and development.
“NYSC Trust Fund, if established, will also develop camps and NYSC formations, provide facilities therein, improve the general welfare of corps members and personnel of the scheme and enhance their preparedness to effectively discharge their statutory duties of promoting national unity, integration, self-reliance and accelerated development of the national economy.”
