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.
NYSC Spokesperson, Eddy Megwa announced the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
He said, the Lead Economist of the World Bank Youth Employment and Skills Development Team, Elena Glinskaya stated the Bank’s readiness during a courtesy visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
The team leader of the World Bank group, who commended the NYSC for introducing Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development into the Orientation Course programme added that the vocational training that Corps Members were being exposed to while at the Orientation Camp had helped a large number of them to become self-reliant.
She disclosed that the team was also interested in learning from NYSC’s vast knowledge and experience in the area of 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”, Glinskaya said.
In his response, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed said the Scheme was established for the promotion of national unity and integration.
Ahmed also stated that NYSC had been at the forefront of empowering Corps Members with vocational skills while at the Orientation Camp since 2012, which had 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 was to advance the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the Scheme.
He reiterated his administration’s strong determination to promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship self reliance among the Corps Members.
