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Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has tasked the Nigerian youths to embrace skill acquisition as the only panacea to unemployment.
Governor Ajimobi gave the charge during the Passing out Parade signalling the formal disengagement of 2017 Batch ‘A’ (Stream 1) corps members from the mandatory one year service to the nation.
The governor, who was represented at the occasion by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo, stressed that no meaningful national development would occur if youths do not embrace skills acquisition considering the fact that government cannot provide adequate jobs for the large number of graduates coming out of higher institutions of learning yearly.
His words: “For this reason, I urge you to utilise the knowledge you have acquired during your Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme the NYSC introduced six years ago to become job creators.
“For you to contribute to national development, try as much as possible to engage your hands and minds using your creative endowments, and it is my hope that improvements in our national economy will provide opportunities for your personal fulfillment”.
Ajimobi said he was impressed with reports of corps members making meaningful contributions towards the upliftment of Oyo State in various socioeconomic spheres.
In her introductory address, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Ifeoma Anidobi said that the 3597 corps members made up of 1386 males and 2211 females have made valuable contributions to the state in the areas of education, healthcare delivery, social services and community development.
Speaking on the corps members performances, Anidobi said: “Here today, two (2) corps members will be decorated with Chairman’s merit award while five (5) others will receive State Coordinator’s Commendation Letters.
“Twenty three of them have been slated for sanctions for various service offences subject to ratification by the NYSC Directorate Headquarters. These sanctions range from extension of service to outright repeat of the service year”.
She urged the state government to consider an upward review of the state allowance paid the corps members serving with government establishments from the present N4000 “to an amount that can favourably compete in the present and unpredictable market situation”