Niger State Governor Umar Bago has donated N320 million to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to the state.

The governor also approved N5 billion for the construction of a new NYSC permanent orientation camp in Niger State.

Bago disclosed this during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2024 Batch B (Stream 1) at Paiko in Paiko Local Government Areas of Niger State on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.

Bago announced a N200,000 bonus for all the 1,600 corps members, 120 cows, and a truck of rice to make them comfortable.

“We want to build a brand new NYSC camp. So, today we are putting N5 billion for a new NYSC camp and sinks five boreholes and toilets in the temporary camp,” he said.

The governor urged the corps members posted to Niger State to key into his agricultural revolution to address the food crisis, adding that his administration has invested heavily in agriculture.

Governor Bago assured the NYSC members of adequate security as well as welfare and promised that the corps members who key into agriculture would be given a house and a vehicle.

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Also speaking, the Minister for Youth Development, Dr Jemila Ibrahim, announced the ministry’s initiative to empower 5,000 NYSC members with N10 million each for entrepreneurial ventures upon completion of their service.

Ibrahim said the ministry was launching the National Youth Skills Programme (NYSP) to train more than one million youths across diverse fields in technology and agriculture, among others.

The minister added that the ministry has started receiving applications for the restructured Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) that would commence in July for youths to access financial support.

In his remarks, the Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yushau Ahmed, appreciated the governor for approving N5 billion for the construction of a new NYSC permanent orientation camp.

He added that the N200,000 announced by the governor for each of the corps members was a welcome development and urged other governors to emulate the gesture to encourage them.

Ahmed assured the corps members of adequate security, adding that the scheme was collaborating with security agencies and advised the corps members to adhere to instructions on security.

The NYSC Coordinator in Niger State, Abdulwahab Olayinka, disclosed that 100 corps members were serving with Niger Foods as part of the scheme’s contribution to the governor’s green economy initiative.

She enjoined the corps members to participate in the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to acquire skills that would make them self-reliant.

The Star