One of the major core values of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) received a boost recently when the national body went into partnership with a non governmental organisation to support the Federal Government in its Renewed Hope Agenda.
Chairman of Silicon Valley
Nigeria Economic Development (SV-NED INC USA/SV-NED Energy Limited), Ambassador Amina Temitope Ajayi-Labinjo (well known as Mama Diaspora) said that the projects embarked upon through the partnership with the NYSC were aimed at accelerating socio-economic development and welfare of Nigerians as well as foster national development.
She explained that SV-NED, a multinational conglomerate dedicated to driving economic growth and youth empowerment in Nigeria, is partnering with the NYSC to implement critical projects in Niger State with the focus on sustainable development, agriculture, Compressed Natural Gas/energy transformation, mining and affordable housing.
Represented by SV-NED’s Executive Director, Captain Dada Olaniyi Labinjo (rtd.), Ajayi-Labinjo spoke in Bida, Niger State, at the palace of the Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, when the SV-NED INC USA/SV-NED Energy Limited and the NYSC team visited the traditional ruler.
According to a statement on Monday, Ajayi-Labinjo highlighted plans for the groundbreaking projects, which include a 360,000-hectare land allocation in Kakakpangi village, along Bida-Minna Road, and another 100,000 hectares in Wuya, Bida Local Government Area of the state.
These projects, according to her, are expected to uplift the lives of thousands of Nigerians, especially NYSC corps members, by creating opportunities for self-reliance through skills acquisition and employment.
She said: ‘The NYSC and SV-NED partnership is built on a shared vision of empowering Nigerian youths and promoting economic development. This collaboration will oversee the execution of joint projects, including CNG gas conversion centres and housing projects, to boost small businesses and youth empowerment.
‘By leveraging strategic partnerships and innovative solutions, SV-NED and NYSC aim to create a sustainable future for Nigerian youths, aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s of President Bola Tinubu’.
According to her, the partnership demonstrates a commitment to empowering Nigerian youths and promoting economic growth. She added that the projects in Niger State would drive transformative change in the state.
She expressed appreciation to Etsu Nupe for receiving the team and stated the willingness of SV-NED and NYSC to partner with him to develop the Bida Emirate as well as Niger State in general.
Ajayi-Labinjo said: ‘We are interested in four major areas including affordable housing. We are not talking about mass houses, we are not talking about low cost houses, we are talking about affordable housing. We want to build a house that is worthy here. In the area of agriculture, we have discussed that with you earlier, Your Royal Highness.
‘We also have interest in CNG. CNG is of relative importance, how it will cut down the cost of transportation. We want to have here our commercial centres, gas centres. We are also interested in mining. Of all these areas, we have arranged with our foreign partners who will be coming very shortly and we will have an opportunity with Your Royal Highness to do the ground breaking. We have a relationship with the National Youth Service Corps. We want to take the youth out of the streets, we want to see them have means of livelihood’.
The Etsu Nupe expressed his support to the innovative and transformative projects embarked upon by the SV-NED INC USA/SV-NED Energy Limited, NYSC and the Niger State Government.
The traditional ruler, who is the Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, also assured of his support for the partnership, and lauded the teams for choosing Niger State as the hub for these projects, which would transform the socio-economic, industrial and agricultural sectors in the state.
Represented by NYSC Director of Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Development, Mr. Aremu Kehinde, the Director-General, Brigadier-General (rtd.) said that the projects would have transformational impacts and economic advancement on young Nigerians and the entire residents of the state.
He said: ‘Your Royal Majesty, This is just a continuation of the meeting we had in Abuja. We saw the enthusiasm (in you). The entire NYSC from the DG, even the young people, have already seen the Royal Majesty’s commitment to the emancipation of the young people. We have agreed on the need to introduce agriculture to our young people.
‘It is so glad and I am sure you are excited that we are starting from Bida, Niger State. Not just to do agriculture but modern agriculture, so that we can take them off the streets. In doing that, the young people in Bida will also be involved, whether they are skilled or whether they are corps members or not. The corps members nation-wide said that I should tell you: ‘May you live long and may you reign for a long time. That they are very happy that they have to partner with you’.
