Accept Corps Members, Train Them On Entrepreneurship – Pantami Directs Parastatals

 The Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has directed that all departments and agencies under his purview must comply with the provisions of the law regarding the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. 

They are not to reject corps members posted on national service to them, said an official statement by the Ministry of Communications issued in Abuja.

The statement reads:

The NYSC scheme was established by the federal government of Nigeria with the objective of inculcating the spirit of selfless service to the community, encourage and develop ties among youths and to emphasise the spirit of oneness and brotherhood in all Nigerians irrespective of cultural or social background. It is in pursuant of this objective that the Federal Government mandated all Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to make adequate provision for youth corps members to carry out their mandatory national assignment.

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is particularly mindful of the fact that the future of our great country depends on the youths and therefore, they  must be equipped for the critical role that lies ahead.

To this end, the Honourable Minister of Communications has initiated a policy to ensure corps members are equipped with adequate entrepreneurial skills at the end of their service year to properly empower and position them as entrepreneurs instead of job seekers. The Honourable Minister of Communications hereby directs that with immediate effect, all Agencies and Parastatals under the supervision of his Ministry must:

* Provide opportunities for an appreciable number of Youth Corps members within their capacities in their regional and Head offices annually, with adequate arrangements for their renumeration;

* Give special attention to graduates with ICT – related qualifications;

* Ensure the effective use of their time by posting them to relevant Departments/Units/Sections of the organization; and

* Plan and execute special ICT Entrepreneurial skills capacity building programmes for serving Corps Members.

The Honourable Minister of Communications is confident that these measures will be pivotal to the realisation of this administration’s Next Level Agenda of building a prosperous and globally competitive economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.