…Honours 76 Corps Members
The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has warned the new Governing Board of the FCT National Youth Service Corps to shun corruption and mismanagement in the running of the affairs of the Board or face the full wrath of the law.
The Minister gave this warning while inaugurating the Governing Board of FCT NYSC and presentation of awards to 2011-2013 batches of outstanding corps members in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Minister who was represented at the occasion by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye presented award certificates to 76 corps members who had excelled in their primary assignment between 2011 and 2013 service years.
Malam Bello enjoined the new board members to be prudent in the management of NYSC resources to ensure that that the precious funds made available to the NYSC by the government are judiciously deployed only for the good of the corps members.
He reminded the members that the Board is duty bound in molding future generations that can progressively contribute in building a great nation through the youths.
The Minister while calling for increased budgetary provision for youth activities, assured that the present FCT Administration is determined to bring a change in the exercise in Territory.
Malam Bello reiterated that his Administration is committed to rewarding any corps member who chooses to distinguish himself or herself; stressing that the award will now be a yearly affair to further encourage corps members to impact positively on their host communities.
His words: “Beyond this, we are making other efforts, to improve the lot of our youths in general, by evolving viable empowerment and entrepreneurship development programmes, to which Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) has been directed to extend its activities.”
The Minister revealed that the FCT Administration has already keyed into the CBN Small and Medium Enterprises promotion scheme; adding that under this scheme, young graduates, with viable business plans are required to bring their ideas to bear and acquire soft loans.
The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye who was also represented at the occasion by the FCT Director, Establishment & Training, Malam Salihu Hawat Mohammed, remarked that the award is meant to be a moral booster to the present and future corps members serving in FCT.
Dr. Ajakaiye charged the corps members to works assiduously in their various places of primary assignment to leave important landmarks that can reflect in the lives of their host communities.
The awardees also received different cash prizes depending on the categories of their awards and performances namely: Category A- Certificate of Merit & N200,000; and Category B – Certificate of Merit & N100,000 each.