NYSC Trust Fund ‘ll drive Nigeria’s economic recovery process, DG, Ministers
The Director-General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, has declared that NYSC Trust Fund will strengthen the operations of the Scheme in the same manner like other Trust Funds.
Gen Shuaibu spoke at a symposium on the imperative of the proposed NYSCTF held in Abuja on Monday.
The NYSC DG further described the proposed fund as a reliable and sustainable source of business financing for Corps entrepreneurs, assuring that the bill is currently undergoing some finishing touches and will soon be presented to the National Assembly.
He further argued that the fund will surely help to stimulate and accelerate nation’s economy growth, adding that it will equally drastically reduce restiveness, violence and criminal tendencies amongst the youths.
“Part of the resolutions of the 2021 meeting is the proposal for the establishment of a dedicated fund that will be backed by law to complement resource allocation from the three tiers of government. The fund, which will be called the NYSCTF is expected to strengthen the operations of the Scheme in the same manner the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the Police Equipment Trust Fund and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund aid the operations of tertiary educational institutions, the Nigeria Police as well as the oil and gas industry respectively.
“When operational, the NYSCTF will help address infrastructural and other logistic needs for the smooth conduct of Orientation Courses, provision Corps Lodges, Corps Transit Camps and other essential facilities for the welfare of Corps members.
“In addition, resources from the fund will support Staff training for higher productivity as well as logistic requirements for special aspects of our Community Development Service such as the medical outreaches conducted under the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers,” he highlighted.
While enumerating other importance of the fund in tackling the challenges of the Scheme, he said: “In a very significant way, the Fund will also focus on making the SAED programme of the Scheme more functional through adequate provision of training facilities. It will further serve as a reliable and sustainable source of business financing for Corps entrepreneurs that would emerge from the programme.
“The ripple effects of this will be such that the benefitting Corps members will in turn create jobs for millions of other Nigerians through either step-down of vocational training or direct employment of youths of the host communities.
“This will surely help to accelerate the growth of the nation’s economy as well as drastically reduce restiveness, violence and criminal tendencies amongst the youths,” he assured.
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“At this juncture, I wish to once again appeal for the support of all stakeholders, including the higher authorities, towards actualizing the NYSC Trust Fund. This will be one of the most valuable gifts of the nation to its youths, in whose enormous potentials the hope of a greater Nigeria rests. As managers of the Scheme, we wish to assure the Federal Government and, indeed, the generality of Nigerians that such a laudable initiative will be justified through greater commitment to the success of the NYSC mandate,” he said.
In his goodwill message, Chairman House Committee on Youth and Sports, Yemi Adaramodu, assured that the National Assembly will provide the legislative framework to facilitate the passage of the proposed Bill.
Other Stakeholders that promised to actualise the passage of the Bill include Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello and his Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, Chairman, NYSC National Governing Board, Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar, among others.
In his remarks, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Muhammad Bello, says the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) can drive Nigeria’s economic recovery process.
Bello represented at the occasion by Mrs Asabe Umar, the Director, Youth, Social Development Secretariat in his ministry said that the scheme could empower youths who were endowed with various talents at its disposal, also called for the support of the scheme’s laudable initiatives.
According to him, the NYSC is one of the most cherished national institutions Nigeria has to foster its 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 NYSC Trust Fund.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, noted that NYSC has continuously lived up to the dreams and aspirations of its founding fathers.
Dare, who was represented by Mr Despan Kwardam, Assistant Director, Youth Rights and Leadership, said that the numerous achievements of the scheme did not come without challenges.
“Over the years, the NYSC has grappled with challenges which hamper its operations. This made it necessary to fashion ways for sustaining the scheme to contribute more to the development of the nation.
“Therefore, the proposal for the establishment of an NYSC Trust Fund is a step in the right direction. If established, it is expected to bridge the financial deficit of the scheme to empower all corps members for self-reliance.
“This is by providing start-up capitals to set up their businesses on the skills acquired during the service year,” Dare said.
By PRNigeria
