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SAED: Redefine your goals, aspirations, Akpabio charges corps members

David Adenekan
David Adenekan
NYSC Ondo sets up ‘Corpers Fund for COVID-19’
Grace Akpabio

Redefine your goals and aspirations during the service year, the State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, scheme in Ondo State, Mrs. Grace Akpabio, has advised corps members.

Akpabio gave the advice during the flag off of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, programme for the 2019 Batch ‘B’ (Stream 11) corps members currently in camp.

She said the increasing rate of unemployment among Nigerian graduates and significant evidence which showed that a sizeable majority of educated youths did  not possess practical skills necessary for the available jobs in the Nigerian economy necessitated the birth of SAED programme.

“My dear corps members,  this troubling trend, and the need to bridge the identified gaps brought about the establishment of SAED programme aimed at building capacity of corps members to gain the required entrepreneurship and hands on skills to cope with the challenges of unemployment and global socio-economic downturn.

SAED: Redefine your goals, aspirations, Akpabio charges corps members
Grace Akpabio at SAED

“The NYSC SAED mandate is to contribute meaningfully to the attainment of SDG’s reduction of extreme poverty and hunger among others. The programme is a nationwide initiative targeting the Nigerian graduates mobilised for the one year national service.”

According to Akpabio, the objectives of the programme which were centered around assisting corps members included cultivating the culture of entrepreneurship and income generation practices and building capacity to see opportunity to create wealth from situations around them.

Others, in the words of the NYSC boss, was to identify demand-driven business skills; gather information on funding opportunities and gain technical assistance in job search.

She charged the corps members to redefine their goals by exploring business opportunities rather than seeking elusive paid employment as they would find opportunities to be economically active as entrepreneurs or be self-employed in their business/profession.

The NYSC boss encouraged members of the service corps to select their preferred skill among the 12 carefully chosen business skills which they would be exposed to in the next nine days to change their story.

Akpabio informed the corps members that NYSC had created opportunities for financing of corps members’ business proposal through many channels such as the Youth Entrepreneurship Development, YEDP, in which the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with commercial banks mobilises resources for corps members’ use.

“Corps members have already taken advantage of the NYSC/Bank of Industry Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF) through expert guidance in the writing and funding of bankable business proposals. These opportunities will be available to you through participation in SAED activities.”

Earlier in her opening remarks, the Assistant Director/Head, SAED, Mrs. Itohan Ehimwenma, said the current economic downturn had had a negative effect on the labour market resulting in serious unemployment in both public and private sectors.

Ehimwenma said that wealth creation was available to those whose ability met the requirements in his/her environment and “this starts with a commitment to the in-camp SAED training.”

“Mama SAED” as Mrs. Ehimwenma is fondly called said NYSC had invested heavily on corps members since the establishment of the programme in March 2012.

One of the ex-corps members who addressed the new inductees, on the need to redefine their goals and aspirations, Tadyum Sulum Alhassan, advised the corps members to key into SAED programme and make honest living for themselves.

Tadyum Alhassan who served in Okitipupa during 2017 Batch ‘B’ service year now operates Tash Cakes that is sponsored by Bank of Industry.

It would be recalled that Tadyum Sulum Alhassan represented his platoon in cake baking competition and  came tops.

The success fired a passion in him which gave birth to Tash Cakes and Foods.

The corps members after the flag off ceremony enlisted in various skills that will take them to higher levels in life.

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