Lalong commends NYSC skills acquisition programme

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has commended the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) skills acquisition programme for corps members.

Lalong gave the commendation on Thursday in Mangu at the inauguration of the 2017, Batch “B” stream one.

He was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Sonni Tyoden.

The governor said that the programme would help the beneficiaries to acquire additional practical knowledge and skills that would make them to be more productive and useful to the society in future.

The governor urged the beneficiaries to pay attention to the programme.

“The scheme runs a skills acquisition programme during the three weeks orientation which I believe you will find useful in future, please, take it seriously,” Lalong said‎

Lalong drew the corps members’ attention to the growing unemployment rate and described the development as a major problem facing Nigerian youths.

“Millions of youths are out there searching for non-existing white-collar jobs. Those of you with alternative skills will not join that search because you would have prepared yourselves for self-employment.

“The initiative of the programme is make you self-reliant at the end of the service of your year.”

He also advised the corps members to visit micro/small ‎enterprises clinic for more knowledge on small business registration and access to soft loans.

‎The governor assured the corps members of their safety in Plateau.

In her remarks, Plateau NYSC Coordinator, Fumilayo Akin-Moses, advised corps members to participate fully in camp activities to prepare them for the service year.

Akin-Moses also urged them to participate in the various skills acquisition programmes to prepare them for life after the service year.

Our correspondent reports that 2, 886, corps members, comprising 1,407 males and 1,479 females were registered as at the close of the exercise on Wednesday.