The Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Rotimi Adeleye, has appealed to all tiers of government to explore the expansion possibility of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, programme.
Adeleye made the appeal while speaking on the 47 years anniversary of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, scheme.
He said that the active role played by NYSC to curtail the spread of Coronavirus virus was a demonstration that given necessary support and encouragement, members of the scheme could turn the economy around for the good of the nation.
“Honestly speaking, many of us who passed through the scheme know that NYSC has adequate human resources to make our economy work again but what the corps members need is the right environment to showcase what they are capable of doing.
“I have been to orientation camps severally and the seriousness with which the managers of the scheme handle the SAED programme is enough for the government to expand the scope of the programme,” he said.
The FRSC boss said, “if citizens are not opportuned to visit the camp during orientation course to see what these patriotic Nigerians are doing, what we have seen or witnessed since the outbreak of COVID -19 tells us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
He said that fabrication of machines and production of materials such as antiseptic hand sanitisers, face masks and liquid soap was enough evidence that graduate youths could take the country out of its economic mess.
The FRSC boss however warned the youths to desist from exuberance which if not checked, he said, was capable of truncating their dreams.
“I would be doing great disservice to this country and the youths at large if I fail to tell them to rise beyond the youthful exuberance and face the future squarely.
“Many parents are looking forward to seeing you as Independent and self sustaining after the service year and you need to see the period of service as a transformation era to becoming budding entrepreneurs and captains of small and medium scale businesses,” he said.
Adeleye who observed his mandatory one year service to the fatherland at Command Secondary School, Jos, Plateau State advised corps members to wear their uniform with dignity.
“You may not know it, many Nigerians will stop at nothing to put on this uniform but for one reason or the other, it eluded them but for you, you need to preserve the identity of this noble scheme and be proud of the uniform.
“I am happy that the present Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim is intensifying enlightenment and sensitisation about the correct ways of wearing the uniform.
“Many government uniformed agencies and organisations have changed their uniforms severally but NYSC since inception has maintained its identity from the beginning, which is the uniform and this is commendable.”
He added: “Gentlemen corps members, the essence of service is to make your impact felt long after you leave the service and you can achieve this by contributing and adding value to your host communities, so that when your name is mentioned, people will reverence your personality.”
