The Bauchi State Government has promised to provide soft loans to interested members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to the state to set up businesses at the end of their service years.
The state governor, Bala Mohammed made this pledge on Monday during the closing ceremony of the 2019 Batch B, Stream One corps members’ orientation exercise held at the NYSC camp Wailo, in Ganjuwa local government area of the state.
Represented by state Head of Civil Service, Umar Gokaru, the governor explained that the different skills acquisition programmes introduced by the NYSC were deliberately designed to make corps members job creators other than job seekers after their service year.
“I therefore charge you to further build on these skills by continuing with the post camp component of the programme. Government is committed to encouraging the youths to venture into self-reliant ventures as it has set aside funds for your empowerment,” he said.
Mohammed stated that all the corps members need to do to access the soft loans is to come up with good business proposals at the end of their service period.
He added that the state government, in tandem with its policy on youth development, has put in place solid welfare package for corps members’ security and general well-being, urging them to settle down, integrate and contribute to the enhancement of the state.
Also speaking, the state NYSC coordinator, Bashir Shehu expressed appreciation to the governor for his support to the scheme, acknowledging that he donated three cows to corps members during the opening ceremony of the three weeks orientation course.
He however appealed to the government to complete ongoing projects in the camp and the repair of the vandalised electric cables stretching 40 kilo meters supplying light to the camp which have now disconnected the place from the national grid.
