The youths especially the corps members have been advised to seek better and credible alternatives to paid employment.
The State Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Akpabio offered the advice today when she flagged off the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme for the 2020 Batch ‘B’ (Stream 1B) corps members deployed to Ondo State and those dislodged from Lagos State.
The State Coordinator said the recent happenings in the country should encourage the corps members to think of how best they can be independent both during and after the service year.
“My excellent, outstanding and wonderful corps members. I want you to be successful during the service year and beyond. This is the reason I am propelling you to pitch your tent with the programme established by the laudable Scheme eight and half years ago to become self reliant”.
“I do not want a situation where you will be looking for limited paid employment when you can access the opportunities provided by the SAED programme in conjunction with financial institutions and empowerment agencies to becoming industrialists and captains of small and medium scale businesses”.
Mrs. Akpabio said that the sad reality of the present times is that a majority of our youths who are struggling to make a living are looking up to the privileged few among their friends whose parents have secured their future.
“It makes me feel very uncomfortable whenever I see our vibrant and strong youths with intelligence to go with it trying to look up to the privileged few among their friends for survival”.
“I want to encourage you to strive to be a successful businessman, like Mr. Tony Elumelu who today has made thousands of outstanding entrepreneurs across the continent of Africa” she said.
The NYSC boss disclosed that the management of the Scheme will continue to invest in empowerment programmes that will make the corps members stand out in the society.
The State Coordinator who was a foundation member of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development department when it was established in March 2012 attested to the success stories as evidenced in the breakthrough recorded in all sub skill sectors, encouraged the corps members to join the progressive train of the programme
In her welcome address, the Assistant Director/Head, SAED, Mrs. Itohan Ehimwenma enjoined the members of the service corps to take the in-camp training seriously which according to her will change their fortune for better.
