Stakeholders present at the public hearing of a bill to establish the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund (NYSCTF), have agreed that it will help to address unemployment crisis, while backing its establishment.
They made the call on Thursday during the House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development hearing of two bills– “A bill for an act to establish NYSCTF and a bill for an act to make provision for establishment of youth Entrepreneurship Development Trust Fund.”
The NYSC Trust Fund bill, which is being sponsored by Hon. Samuel Akinfolarin is seeking control of Special Intervention Fund established under section 3 to provide sustainable sources of funds for National Youth Service Corps, among others.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, commenced the public hearing of the bill having passed first and second reading recently.
Represented by the House Leader, Hon Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Gbajabiamila said the NYSC Trust Fund is a long overdue conversation.
“There are now over 200 universities in Nigeria producing hundreds of thousands of students. The National Youth Service Corp Trust Fund bill is an essential and long overdue conversation about the future of the Scheme and the options of reforming it so that in whatever form it continues to exist, it serves the best interest of our beloved country.”
He stressed the need for building an economy that will create well paid jobs and ensure that young people are adequately represented in the arena where political decisions are made.
The Chairman, House committee on Youth Development, Hon. Yemi Adaramodu said there is need for a Trust Fund that can target Nigerian youths, where it will be easy to harvest them. “We have to consider this bill that is going to engage youth to bring development.”
He emphasised the need for training and retraining of NYSC staff and skills acquisitions for corps members.
Also speaking, a former Governor of Edo state, Senator Osunbor Osarieme commended the success of the bill why pledging his support.
However, he stressed the need for due attention to be paid for its sourcing. “This Bill is commendable and I support its passage by the National Assembly. Nevertheless, I urge this Committee to pay particular attention to the sourcing and utilisation of funds part of which I have addressed.
“This is to avoid the abuses that have been associated in recent times with Trust Funds by officials who see them as slush funds to feed their avarice. This calls for caution in order that the good intention behind this Bill is not defeated,” he said.
On his part, the director general of NYSC, Major General Shu’aibu Ibrahim re-emphasized the need for the Trust Fund, saying that when established, it will engaged and empower corps members at the end of the service, thus making them self-reliant.
He said Corps members are willing to put their best once supported, while appealing to Nigerians to support the bill.
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