A total of 736 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), 2021 Batch `B’ members, comprising 311 males and 425 females, completed their one-year service in Abia on Thursday.
The NYSC Coordinator in Abia, Mr Julius Ekeh, made this known in a farewell message to the corps members during a low-key passing out ceremony in Umuahia.
Ekeh said that the ceremony lwas low-keyed as a result of the directives from the scheme’s management, following the current security challenges in the country.
He congratulated the ex-corps members on behalf of the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Muhammad Fadah and the management on the successful completion of their service.
The state coordinator commended their efforts especially for impacting positively on the socio-economic well-being of their host communities.
He said that the scheme had adequately equipped them for the future through the in-camp and post-camp Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programmes.
He urged them to take advantage of the skills they had acquired by becoming celebrated business owners and employers of labour, rather than waiting for the scarce white collar jobs.
“Avail yourselves of the various funding options NYSC has exposed you to, including loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry, and many others, to become your own bosses,” he urged.
Ekeh advised the former corps members to be security conscious as they travel.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Miss Charity Pepple, one of the ex-corps members described the service year as challenging, ”but quite interesting.
“I am from Rivers State and I am going back home to put all I have learnt into practice.
“Although I had cake baking skills before coming for my one service, the additional skills that I have acquired here will be impactful for my future endeavours.”
