The National Youths Service Corps, on Wednesday, said only skilled corps members will benefit from the NYSC Trust Fund, which has just been passed into law by the National Assembly.
The National Assembly had on Tuesday passed the NYSC Trust Fund Establishment Bill into law, awaiting the presidential approval.
The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Muhammad Fadah, disclosed this during his visit to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State.
According to the NYSC boss, it is imperative for corps members to be equipped with the necessary skills in order to benefit from the trust fund by the time it will take off.
He said “In the 1970s and early 1980s, the federal, state, and local governments will look for you to come and work for them. Now, that era is over. That is why the scheme established the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurial Development programmes for you. Please take advantage of this situation.
“Get a skill, you may not know when that skill will be useful to you. Please avail yourself. Just go and train yourself in a skill. The NYSC Trust Fund was passed yesterday (Tuesday) by the National Assembly. It is just left for the President to assent to it.
“When it becomes law, at the end of your service year, every one of you will have a token that you can use to establish your business.”
In her remarks, the state NYSC Coordinator, Victoria Ani, who welcomed the DG, disclosed that a total number of 1,311 corps members comprising 330 males and 978 females were registered in the camp.
“I wish to assure you that our activities in camp are not compromised. The corps members are already in high spirit, receiving lectures and participating in the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, which has kicked off,” Ani stated.