NYSC inaugurates bakery, water, garment factories.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has inaugurated its Bakery, Water and Garment Factories and the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) for North-Central.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the projects were inaugurated on Monday by the Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, at the Magaji Dan Yamusa NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Sule commended the NYSC for the laudable achievement, adding that the ventures underscored the importance of not only acquiring a degree but also a skill.
“So, I want to thank you for your vision, for redefining and reinvigorating the NYSC and for bringing back the life of this vision.
“I want to assure you that by the grace of God we will not only patronise the products you are having here as a state, we will find ways to work together as a team because this is coming right on time.
“I strongly believe that by the grace of God Nigeria will overcome, our leaders will continue to be blessed with the wisdom to overcome all the challenges that we have.”
The Director-General of NYSC, Maj.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, at the inauguration said that the execution of the projects was to reinvigorate the NYSC Ventures and SAED programme in line with the NYSC Act for greater impact.
According to him, both ventures are very important in light of the present prevailing economic realities.
“SAED is geared towards empowering youth corps members for self-employment and wealth creation.
“The NYSC ventures, comprising agro-based and other businesses are meant to play multiple purpose of providing part of our kit items and other essentials for the conduct of orientation course.
“This is in addition to serving as sources of revenue and training grounds for youth corps members.
“Our priority attention to the development of the ventures is particularly in line with the Federal Government’s policies on food security and diversification of the economy through optimisation of the nation’s potentials in non-oll sectors.”
While reeling out some of the organisation’s achievements through the NYSC ventures in other locations across the country, Ibrahim said that over N1 billion had been generated through these sources and was paid into the Federal Government coffers between 2020 and 2021.
He said that while the new bakery, garment and water factories were indicative of the organisation’s commitment to expanding its revenue generation platforms, they would also serve as additional training avenues for corps members to enroll for relevant vocational skills under the SAED programme.
He added that the complex was unique because it had the highest number of NYSC factories located in the same place.
The NYSC boss said that like similar ones established for the North East, North West and South West, it would provide youth corps members with access to effective post-camp training in different vocational skill areas.
“We are already in talks with the Nasarawa State University on a proposed partnership whereby the Entrepreneurship Unit of the institution will use this facility to impart entrepreneurial skills on both the corps members and interested youths of Keffi community.”
He urged the managers of the facilities to safeguard the equipment by ensuring high standard of maintenance at all times, adding that the NYSC management would provide all the necessary support for effective running and sustainability of the ventures.
Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, former governor of the state and the Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), said that the acquisition of skill was very critical.
This, he said, was because the government was not in a position to give employment to every corps member after graduation.
“So, this type of initiative is most commendable and over and above the training skills we have to also train this young people on the know how, the approach of being self sufficient,” he said.
The Director, Ventures Management of the NYSC, Mr Momoh Mohammed said that the garment factory was equipped with 100 industrial sewing machines and other machines needed for the production of high-quality kit items to be supplied for use by youth corps members.
He also said that the water factory had three water packaging lines for the production of sachet water as well as pet and dispenser bottle water.
“In the bakery, we have installed modern oven and other equipment required for the production of health enriching bread.
“It is instructive to note that products of our bakery and water factory will be supplied to orientation camps in line with our mandate and also sold to the general public.”