..Raises N511 Million Revenue
Richard Ginika Izuora
The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, is expanding its footprint in manufacturing and other entrepreneurial projects to see how it will help grow the national economy.
The Scheme says it would continue to harness the potentials of Corps Members to enhance their empowerment and also contribute to national development.
NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim stated this in Abuja while addressing the media on the preparations for the forthcoming 2021 Batch ‘C’ Stream Two Orientation Course slated to commence on Wednesday 24th November 2021.
He disclosed that the Scheme has rejiged its garment factories in Niger and Anambra States for maximum productivity while the bread and water factories in Abuja have also been overhauled.
“Last year we generated over Two Hundred and Eighty Million Naira which was remitted to the federation account and for 2021, we generated Five Hundred and Eleven Million naira which would also be paid to the federation account as the Scheme’s contribution to national economy.
From our garment factory, bakery and table water factories we are bringing innovation into NYSC because we have put on our thinking cap as we don’t want to be a beggar agency. We have revitalised our garment factories and we are using our garment factories as training centres for our Corps Members that have passion for fashion design because they can also sow clothes.
Corps Members are acting films, we have the National Cultural Troupe and they are going to perform while we will bring the proceeds as our contribution to national economy”, Ibrahim said.
The Director-General assured that the Scheme would continue to tap Corps Members’ talents for national development.
He appealed to Nigerians to provide adequate welfare and security for Corps Members in their domain, adding that they are on national assignment.
He debunked the misrepresentation against the Scheme on drugs in some section of the media, adding that the Scheme has not caught any serving Corps Member with hard drugs during its Orientation Exercises in the thirty-seven camps across the country.
“We have various stakeholders like the NDLEA, Police, Army, NSCDC among others that support us to scrutinize Corps Members for hard drugs before they enter our Orientation Camps and since I became the DG of NYSC we have not caught anyone”, he said.
He said Corps Members are agents of change who campaign against the use of hard drugs among Nigerians through effective sensitization from the NDLEA CDS Groups in all states of the federation.
Speaking earlier, The Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi said it is compulsory for every prospective Corps Member to fill COVID-19 Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) self-reprinting form and reprint verification slip to be presented in Camp.
She added that all COVID-19 safety protocols would be strictly adhered to in all the Orientation Camps.
“We have partnered the NCDC and State Health Officials to ensure COVID-19 free Orientation”, she said,.
She advised the Prospective Corps Members to use only government approved motorparks while traveling in order not to fall prey to criminals.
“Parents and Guardians are enjoined to ward their wards to be security conscious and not board vehicles by the roadside or vehicles not registered with the NURTW.
Prospective Corps Members are strongly advised not to embark on night journey to the Orientation Camps
They are also advised to break their journey if it is going beyond 6:00pm and pass the night in a military or police barracks, NYSC Seçretariats, Corps Lodges and other safe places”, she added.