By OLATUNDE AJAYI

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Youth and Community Engagement, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, (APC Ekiti South), said that the recently passed National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund Bill would provide jobs for graduates.

Adaramodu disclosed this when he led a delegation of the committee on official visit to Oyo State NYSC Orientation Camp at Iseyin on Saturday.

He said that the bill would soon be sent to the President for assent and had scaled through both first, second reading and other crucibles of legislation.

The lawmaker said that the provision of the Bill was basically to ensure that corps members get established through the training they had acquired through NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.

He added that the provision of the Bill also cater for corps members who might wish to go into business after their service year.

“The issue of unemployment and what next for corps members after the service year will be a thing of the past soon.

“The bill will ensure that the dreams of every Nigeria graduate become a reality, “he said.

Adaramodu disclosed that the Senate, in collaboration with relevant government departments, agencies and other stakeholders, would soon work on the upward review of corps members’ allowances across the country.

He said that the Senate, in its legislative agenda, would also consider other youth development programmes aside from those embedded in the NYSC trust fund Bill.

Also speaking, the Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Mr Abel Odoba, said that NYSC SAED training aimed to empower corps members to consider the possibilities of self-employment or initiating their own businesses.

Odoba noted that the NYSC trust fund Bill would practically eradicate unemployment among graduate youths in Nigeria.

He said that statistics have shown that many corps members who actively engaged in SAED programmes have become employers of labour after their service year.

“The Bill will provide soft landing for corps members who have undergone SAED in securing startup funds.

“Through the trust fund, skilled corps members will be given startup grants so that they will become employers of labour and contribute to development of the nation.

“Country like China and other fast developing nations are exploring skills development to address unemployment.

“A time is coming that certificate will no longer be useful but skills acquired will always make way at all times, “he said.

The News Agency Nigeria(NAN) reports that members of the Senate delegation include Sen. Salisu Afolabi (APC Ogun Central), Sen. Aminu Abbas(PDP Adamawa Central), the clerk – Mrs Ijeoma Chikwem and other principal officers of senate youth development committee. (NAN)

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