13th December, 2024
The Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Zamfara State, Mallam Lawan Ahmed, has urged corps members to prioritize skill acquisition and entrepreneurship as pathways to self-employment in light of the rising job scarcity in the country.
Ahmed made the call during the closing ceremony of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program for the 2024 Batch C Stream I Orientation Course at the NYSC camp in Gusau on Friday.
Emphasizing the importance of skills in today’s economy, Ahmed highlighted that the NYSC SAED program was specifically designed to address youth unemployment by equipping participants with practical skills.
“The importance of having a skill in Nigeria today cannot be overemphasized. Skills are in high demand, and they empower you to be self-reliant. It is not ideal to depend on your parents for little things after they have spent so much to put you through school,” Ahmed said.
He encouraged corps members to fully embrace the program, advising them to progress from apprentices to masters in their chosen skill areas. “With consistent learning and dedication, you can start your own business, become self-dependent, and even create jobs for others instead of seeking scarce white-collar jobs,” he added.
Ahmed also urged the participants to leverage credit facilities provided by the Federal Government through various financial institutions to support their entrepreneurial journeys.
The coordinator commended the NYSC top management for providing the resources necessary for the free training of corps members during the camp.
Under the SAED program, corps members receive free training in diverse fields, including agro-allied services, construction, event management, fashion design, and photography, among others. The initiative aims to empower young graduates with skills that are crucial for self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.
