The House of Representatives is to hold a public hearing on the bill seeking to establish the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund.
The NYSC Director-General, Maj. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, disclosed this yesterday during the 2022 Batch ‘A Pre-orientation workshop in Abuja for top management camp officials and their collaborating partners, to review the previous orientations.
Ibrahim disclosed that the House of Representatives had fixed February 24, 2022, for the public hearing on the bill seeking to establish the NYSC Trust Fund.
He appealed to Nigerians to collaborate and ensure the establishment of the Fund.
The DG said: “It is gratifying to note that the consideration of the bill for the Trust Fund is progressing steadily having passed second reading in the House of Representatives and a public hearing on it fixed for February 24, 2022.
“I, therefore, appeal to all friends of the scheme, including influential public figures, civil society organisations, students’ bodies, members of the academia and media professional to send memoranda to the House Committee on Youth and Sports, as well as make physical appearance at the public hearing to drum support for the establishment of the Trust Fund.”
He noted that the establishment of the Trust Fund would help to provide resources to bridge infrastructure deficit in the orientation camps; ensure adequate provision of other operational logistics as well as address the problem of graduate unemployment by making skills and entrepreneurship training programme more functional.
According to Ibrahim, a number of ex-trainees who passed through the scheme’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED) were doing well in their businesses and have also employed others.
He stressed that with the establishment of the Trust Fund, all SAED trainees will be able to get start-up capital.
“A number of ex-trainees of the SAED programme have established flourishing businesses in several states across the country and have either employed or trained many youths of the host communities.
“When the NYSC Trust Fund becomes operational, the number of corps entrepreneurs will increase drastically, and they will in turn help to provide jobs for millions of other youths of the country. This will equally help reduce the issue of security challenges faced in the country,” he added.
In his remarks, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, commended the NYSC boss for his leadership style and the management of the scheme.
Represented by the Secretary of Solid Development Secretariat, Hadiza Muhammed Kabiru, he said: “May I at this juncture commend the management of the NYSC under the able leadership of the Director-General, Major Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, for the pragmatic leadership style and administrative prowess in running the affairs of this noble scheme.”
He commended various innovations and positive turnaround witnessed so far, promising that the FCT Administration shall not relent in providing the necessary support to the NYSC at all times, especially as it relates to the security and welfare of corps members.
