World Bank to partner NYSC on corps empowerment

The World Bank has stated its readiness to partner with the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, on youth empowerment, job creation and skills development for corps members.

The Lead Economist of the World Bank Youth Employment and Skills Development Team, Elena Glinskaya, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

The team leader of the World Bank group, who commended the National Youth Service Corps for introducing Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development into the Orientation Course programme added that the vocational training that corps members are being exposed to while at the orientation camp has helped a large number of them to become self-reliant.

She stated that the team was also interested in learning from NYSC’s vast knowledge and experience in youth empowerment.

“Anyone who is working on issues of youth employment in Nigeria must learn about the NYSC programme. This is a well established programme that has helped youths, and we will like to know as much as possible about your programme”, she said.

In his response, the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, said the scheme was established to promote national unity and integration.

Ahmed also stated that NYSC has been at the forefront of empowering corps members with vocational skills while at the orientation camp since 2012, which has made thousands of ex-corps members self-reliant in different vocations across the country.

He informed the World Bank team that one of the focal points of his five-point policy thrust is to advance the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the Scheme.

He reiterated his administration’s strong determination to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship and self-reliance among the corps members.

The Director General thereafter applauded the World Bank team for the kind gesture of assistance.