The Senate bill aims to improve the general welfare of Corp members and NYSC personnel.
The Senate has resolved to establish a National Youth Service Trust Fund which would provide sustainable resources of funds for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
This is as it also plans to train and retrain as well as provide skill acquisition and provide start-up capital for Corp members.
These resolutions were sequel to the second reading of a bill on the floor of the Red Chamber on Thursday during plenary.
The bill titled, “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund to provide a sustainable source of funds for the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) skill acquisition, training and empowerment of Corps members, training and retraining of the personnel or the NYSC, development of camps and NYSC formations and facilities,” was sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South).
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In his lead debate, he stressed the importance of the bill, assuring that it will help make sure graduates acquire skills under the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programmes.
Adaramodu who chairs the committee on Youth and Sports Development, noted that the NYSC Trust Fund Bill will ensure the development of corp members and improve the general welfare of Corp members and personnel of NYSC.
He said, “The early years of the National Youth Service Corps which was established May 1973, that’s 51 years ago, this is going to be the first attempt at making sure that the Act that established the National Youth Service Corps is dealt with to ensure and afford Nigerians to benefit from why the NYSC was established.
“The management of the scheme has not only trained and empowered Corps members but has instilled patriotism and the spirit of Nationalism in Corp members since then.
“The decision to establish the National Youth Service Trust Fund was conceived by some of the stakeholders which includes the 36 state governments and the FCT administration. The idea to establish the trust fund was also strongly supported by Civil Society Organisations,” he added.
In his contributions, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) stressed that the idea of the bills will brighten the future of the young men and the future of the young ones.
He said, “No condition is permanent, as we are senators today but we won’t be senators forever. As we are building our own homes we should make sure the tomorrow of our young ones is guaranteed.
“It will create opportunities for the young ones in terms of job opportunities based on what they read in the university.”
The bill was thereafter put to a voice vote and passed for a second reading. The president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio also referred the bill to the Committee on Youths and Community Engagement for further legislative actions.
STAR Check: Nigerians, particularly, constituents of Ekiti South district, can keep tabs on the legislative performance of Sen. Adaramodu throughout the 10th senate here.
