The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has urged its female members to remain committed to self-reliance and wealth creation.
The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, gave the charge on Wednesday during a three-day training programme organised for 5,000 NYSC female members at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Centre, Abuja.
The training, which focused on entrepreneurship, was conducted by the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-African University, Lagos State.
While congratulating the Corps’ trainees, Nafiu urged them to overcome all challenges, embrace a new vision through the post-camp specialised training, and strive to become business owners in Nigeria.
He appealed to the participants to contribute meaningfully towards reducing the rising number of unemployed graduates in the country.
“I urge you to pick up the challenge and be inspired to use the knowledge and ideas being passed to you to birth your vision and make it real.
The future of this country lies in what we are doing because this is a journey to financial independence. Grab the opportunity and do not waste it.
I encourage you to form partnerships, pull managerial skills together and grow with others.
There are various sectors of the Nigerian economy open to investment by aspiring entrepreneurs,” said the DG.
The Director of the NYSC’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Department, Mr Kehinde Aremu-Cole, commended Brigadier General Nafiu for his unwavering commitment to the SAED initiative of the NYSC.
He also expressed appreciation to the Mastercard Foundation for funding the project and to Pan-African University for its role in delivering the training, which is ongoing simultaneously in 21 states across the country.
Aremu praised the participating female Corps members—drawn from different parts of the nation—for choosing the path of entrepreneurship, assuring them that they would not regret the decision.
“We will ensure that we guide you through business ownership that we can showcase to the world,” Aremu assured.
Ambassador Deborah Ajayi represented the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-African University, Lagos State, while Mrs Bambo Adetutu served as the EDC trainer at the FCT Centre during the three-day programme.
Notably, two hearing-impaired female Corps members were also among the beneficiaries of the Entrepreneurship Development Training at the FCT Centre.
About the NYSC
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a one-year compulsory scheme for Nigerian youths upon graduation from a tertiary institution.
The NYSC scheme was created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile, and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 through 13 January 1970).
The purpose of the scheme is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian youths the spirit of selfless service to the community, and to emphasise the spirit of oneness and brotherhood of all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or social background.
Nigerian youths, upon graduation from a tertiary institution, are enrolled in this compulsory one-year scheme.