The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has pledged continuous support to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in recognition of its role in the development of the territory.
The Minister of State for FCT, Mrs Ramatu Aliyu, gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja during the swearing-in ceremony of the orientation course for Batch A Stream 2 youth corps members.
Represented by the Director of FCT Social Welfare Development, Mr Sani Rabe, Aliyu said that the NYSC is an active partner in the development of the FCT.
She said: “Here in the FCT, our teeming youths, women and the indigent are in dire need of support which will help them develop various talents for creativity. This is where I hope that youth corps members will provide necessary intervention”.
She added that the deployment policy of the NYSC, which ensures that young Nigerians are posted to states other than their states of origin, is expected to engender unity and nation-building.
Aliyu enjoined the youth corps members to mentor FCT youths through their activities.
She also urged them to spearhead development-oriented programmes to complement the efforts of the government at all levels in the territory.
About the needs of the youth corps members at the orientation camp, she said the FCTA had assessed
areas that should be addressed. She explained that “here on camp, we are already addressing pressing needs like the reconstruction/remodelling of the multi-purpose hall to ensure that you and those coming after you have a good place for lectures and other activities.
“I wish to state once more that your welfare remains our priority”, Aliyu said.
The NYSC Coordinator in the FCT, Alhaji Abdul Suleman said that so far, a total of 2,144 youth corps members had been duly registered for the three weeks orientation course. He enjoined them to key into the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme and to avail themselves of the opportunity to transform their lives after the service year by becoming job creators rather than job seekers.
He said: “The NYSC has repeatedly proven its worth as a veritable platform for promoting national unity
and integration and has built bridges across different ethno-cultural divides in the country.“These are the virtues we expect youth corps members to imbibe during this period of service to the fatherland.
“May I also advise that you comport yourselves in a disciplined and orderly manner, as any form of negative
ñjbehaviour such as drug abuse and other anti-social acts will not be tolerated on camp”.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the three-week orientation course which started
on Wednesday would end on 23rd May.
