Gov. Oluwaseyi Makinde of Oyo State has advised corps members deployed to the state that answering national call behoves a responsibility of hard work, discipline and commitment to the quest for national development.
Makinde made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Batch ‘B’, Stream I, orientation course for the corps members deployed to state, held at National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) permanent orientation camp in Iseyin, Oyo State.
The governor who was represented by his deputy, Bar. Adebayo Lawal, urged the corps members to brace up and rise to the challenge with a mindset of sacrifice, dedication, persistence and humility.
He urged the corps members to take advantage of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme, specifically developed to mitigate the high rate of unemployment bedeviling the country.
“Through SAED, at no cost, you will be opportune to delete your name from the list of graduates traversing the nooks and crannies of the nation, seeking for employment after the service year,” he said.
The governor reiterated the commitment of the state government to ensure provisions of adequate welfare and security for the corps members.
Also, the Oyo State Coordinator, NYSC, Mr Abel Odoba, said that the youths in Nigeria must be transformed, by using a vision based approach for the nation to attain its greatness.
Odoba added that the whole essence of national development could only be achieved by focusing on building young people’s strength and skills.
“Engaging the youths for one year in the task of nation building is quite a laudable programme which the scheme has been running for the past fifty 50 years.
“The three weeks duration of the orientation programme will play host to various activities designed to ensure the accomplishment of the objectives of the NYSC scheme.
“These include paramilitary drills; physical training, citizenship and leadership grooming and lectures on skill acquisition for self-reliance, “he said.
In her submission, Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Youth and Sport, Mrs Olubukola Oladipo, urged the corps members to tap from the intensive physical, leadership and entrepreneurship development trainings of the scheme.
“I want to charge you at this critical stage of your life to wake up to reality of life as your destinies are now in your hands, the scheme designs these trainings to groom, build and prepare you to be amenable for nation building, “she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the opening ceremony featured the administration of oath of allegiance on the corps members by the Chief Judge of Oyo state, Hon. Justice Iyabo Yerima.(NAN)
