Ladan Baba, the Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in Kano state says 500 corps members in the state were offered loan to establish their own business.

Mr. Baba disclosed this on Sunday in Kano while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on the side-line of the graduation of 2017 Batch ‘B’ Stream ll corps member’s Skills acquisition training.

He said the loan was through the scheme’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme, SAED.

According to him, the 10-day training for the corps members, undergoing three weeks orientation in Karaye Local Government Area, was part of the federal government’s efforts to make the youth self-reliant.

The NYSC coordinator explained that after the training, the corps members would be provided with loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Bank of Industry, BoI, and Direct Credit Company Ltd.

“Recently, over 500 corps members were given loan to establish their own businesses and some are presently undergoing the process to obtain the loan,” Mr. Baba said.

Mr. Baba also said that more than 2,368 corps members posted to the state had participated in agro allied, food processing and preservation, culture and tourism and cosmetology training.

Others, he said, were “Information and Communication Technology, Construction, Environment, Horticulture and Landscaping, Power and Energy, Education, Film Photography and Automobile.”

The NYSC coordinator appealed to philanthropists, wealthy individuals and private organisations to construct skill acquisition centres at the orientation camp for the benefit of the state and the country in general.

He said the construction of such centre would enable the scheme train corps members and also the residents in the state on different trades.

Mr. Baba said the introduction of the skills acquisition programme during the three weeks orientation was to provide the youths with skills that could assist them to be self-reliant after graduation.

“The programme is also contributing so much toward reduction of unemployment among the youth and also to make them depend less on government jobs.

‘’Therefore, we are appealing to other wealthy individuals and private organisations to invest their wealth through the construction of the skills centre to benefit the youths in the state.

Mr. Baba described the scheme as the best and major channel through which the youths could be empowered.

Speaking to the NAN, one of the corps members who recently passed out, Thank-God John, from Benue, said he would remain in Kano, adding that he had established two photography shops in Kano.

“It is as a result of the NYSC skills acquisition programme that I was able to get my photography training after which I was given loan to commence the business.

”With this business, I don’t think I am going back to my state except to visit my family and friends, I have employed other people who are working under me,” Mr. John said.

A female corps member from Ogun, Oshola Oluwatosin, who also benefited from the training, pledged to remain in Kano after her service to train people on make-up.

(NAN)