The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, on Wednesday, said the coronavirus pandemic has increased the rate of unemployment in the country more than any time in the past.
Ibrahim gave this observation in his office at Abuja when the Chief Executive Officer of Hall 7 Project, Olayinka Braimoh, came to visit him.
In his words, he noted that the serious economic meltdown the pandemic has brought along and the scarcity of jobs has made it necessary for skill acquisition to become quite compelling
According to a statement by the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi, the DG was quoted as saying, “Jobs are not available like before and COVID-19 has also brought serious economic meltdown. We are ready for your collaboration that would bring tremendous benefit to our corps members and other youths in the country.”
Ibrahim had previously paid a visit to Braimoh in a bid to revisit an agreement earlier reached by the two entities with respect to the construction of a skills acquisition center at Ezi community in Delta State.
According to him, the expansion of the NYSC skills acquisition programme was one of the five policy thrusts of his administration which underscored the vigour with which he pursued it.
Adeyemi added, “Braimoh revealed that his company and NYSC had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the issue at hand, stating that a curriculum for the various skill sets had already been developed, awaiting the approval of NYSC for work to begin. He expressed delight at the DG’s passion for the project to come to fruition.”