By Aluta News
April 04, 2022
Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has inaugurated the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) North Central Skills Acquisition Centre, the scheme’s bakery, garment and table water factories in the state.
Sule inaugurated the facilities at the Magaji Dan-Yamusa NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Keffi Local Government Area on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NYSC North Central Skills Acquisition Centre, Bakery, Garment and Table Water Factories were funded by Access Bank and Capital Express Assurance Limited.
In his address, Sule lauded the two organisations for establishing the facilities in Nasarawa State, adding that the business outfits would offer entrepreneural skills to youth corps members posted to the state and create jobs for residents.
He said “I strongly believe that I should thank you first and foremost for inviting me to come and witness something like this.
“I also want to thank the NYSC for the opportunity and for citing such a project right in Nasarawa State. Indeed, you had several options but you selected Nasarawa State.”
He said the project was in line with his administration’s vision for technical and vocational education, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
He recalled that he recently hosted President Muhammadu Buhari at the inauguration of the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Skill Acquisition Institute in Lafia, similar to the NYSC Skills Acquisition centre in Keffi.
“I want to thank you for your vision and for reinvigorating the NYSC as a whole. You have done wonderfully well.”
He assured his administration’s support toward the patronage of the products from the factories.
The NYSC Director-General, Maj.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, said that the projects were
in line with one of the cardinal points of his policy thrust — reinvigorating the NYSC ventures and the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme in accordance to the NYSC Act for greater impact.
He said “both are very important, especially in the light of the prevailing economic realities.
“While the SAED programme is geared toward empowering youth corps members for self employment and wealth creation, the NYSC Ventures is agro-based and comprised other essentials for the conduct of orientation course in addition to serving as source of revenue and training ground for corps members.
“Our attention to the development of the ventures is particularly in line with Federal Government’s policies on food security and diversification of the economy through optimisation of the nation’s potential in non-oil sectors.”
The NYSC boss revealed that the scheme’s sustained focus toward revamping the ventures was already bearing results, as over N1 billion was generated and paid into government’s coffers from year 2020 to 2021.
“This is the first time the NYSC is remitting revenue to Federal Government, an achievement that has earned us commendations from higher authorities, including the National Assembly,” he said.
He charged NYSC officers saddled with the responsibility of managing the SAED centre and the factories to justify the confidence reposed in them by being hard working and honest in their dealings.
In his introductory remarks, Mr Mohammed Momoh, the Director, NYSC Ventures, explained that the scheme’s sustained stakeholders’ engagement convinced Access Bank and Capital Express Assurance to fund the construction of the structures.
Momoh said “it is imperative to mention that the garment factory is equipped with 100 industrial sewing machines and other machines for the production of high quality kit items for use by the youth corps members.
“The water factory has three packaging line of production of sachet water, as well as dispenser bottle water. The factory equally has state-of-the-art water treatment plant for effective removal of sediments, micros and fungal impurities to ensure the production of odourless and tasteless water.
“In the bakery, we have modern oven and other equipment required for the production of healthy bread. It is instructive however to note that the products of our bakery and water factories will be supplied to orientation camps in line with our mandate and also sold to the public.”
In a goodwill message, Mr Herbert Wigwe, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, appreciated NYSC for the synergy that led to the construction of the skills acquisition centre and pledged to continue to partner NYSC in realising its objectives.
Wigwe said “for us, the NYSC is true expression of national integration and ideal for national development and it’s something we are keen to support in every form and in every way. That is why for the past eight years, Access Bank has been supporting NYSC in some of the things they do.”
Mrs Bola Odekaye, the Managing Director, Capital Express Assurance Limited, also assured the company’s ccontinudesupport to the scheme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dignataries at the event include Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Amb. Tukur Buratai, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and Retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau, former Minister of Interior.
Prof. Sulaiman Bala-Mohammed, the Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) and the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Chindo Yamusa III, were also at the occasion.
NAN
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