The federal government has concluded plans to empower no fewer than 5,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members with N10 million each, the Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jemila Ibrahim, disclosed in Paiko town of Niger State yesterday.

The minister also announced that a National Youth Skills Programme would be launched soon to also train one million young Nigerians in diverse fields, includingtechnology and agriculture.

Ibrahim made this known at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2024 Batch B, Stream 1 orientation course in Paiko where she also said that the ministry had started receiving applications for the ‘restructured’ Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) which will commence from this month for young people to access financial support.

She, therefore, advised youths across the countryto utilise the NYIF to bring their business ideas to life, adding that they should fully embrace the NYSP “to gain new competencies and developwell-rounded skills.”

In his address, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Bago, announced plans by the state government to construct a new NYSC permanent orientation camp to replace the temporary structures presently being used

“We want to build a brand new NYSC camp; so today we are putting N5 billion for a new NYSC camp and sinks five boreholes and toilets in the temporary camp,” Bago said.

To boost the morale of the corps members, the governor announced a N200, 000 bonus for each corps members in the 2024 Batch B, Stream 1, 20 cows and one truck of rice to make them comfortable.

He called on the corps members to key into the state agricultural revolution programme to address food crisis, adding that his administration had invested huge money in agriculture.

In his remarks, the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, appreciated the governor for approving the N5 billion for the construction of a new NYSC permanent orientation camp adding that the N200,000 announced by the governor for corps members was a welcome development, and urged other governors to emulate the gesture to encourage the corps members.

Ahmed assured corps members of adequate security, adding that the scheme was in collaboration with security agencies and advised corps members to adhere to instructions on security.

Earlier, Mrs. Abdulwahab Olayinka, NYSC state coordinator, disclosed that 100 corps members were serving with Niger Foods as parts of the scheme’s contribution to the governor’s green economy initiative.

She advised the corps members to participate in the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED) to acquire skills that would make them self-reliant. (THISDAY)