The NYSC Foundation has presented a soft loan of Four Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira to some Ex-Corps Members as start-up capital for their businesses.
It also said the foundation would continue to strive for the well-being of serving and Ex-Corps Members.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees, NYSC Foundation, Mallam Mohammed Hamza stated this today while presenting cheques to some of the fifteen beneficiaries of the gesture.
He said the foundation which operates as a Non-Governmental Organisation was established in 1999 as a bankable platform to provide and promote the welfare of Corps Members under the NYSC Scheme.
The Chairman appealed to the loan beneficiaries to utilise the opportunity to start up their businesses and transform their creative ideas into wealth.
The Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim said NYSC Scheme has evolved various programmes including Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development for Corps Members aimed at equipping them with entreprenurial and vocational skills for self-employment and job creation.
He stated that one of the critical needs of the Corps Entrepreneurs is access to funds to kickstart their businesses, hence the Scheme’s partnership with funding institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry among others.
‘It is gratifying to note that the NYSC Foundation has been supporting the empowerment of Corps Entrepreneurs over the years through a revolving loan Scheme for business financing’.
‘I enjoin all beneficiaries of the Foundation’s loans to ensure timely repayment of the loans so as to enable others benefit in future’, the NYSC boss added.
Ibrahim also commended the NYSC Foundation for other forms of support for the NYSC Scheme especially on Corps Welfare while he encourage other Ex-Corps Members to join the Foundation and contribute towards achieving its noble objectives.
The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, represented by Dr (Mrs) Maryam Abdullahi commended NYSC Foundation for its support for the NYSC Scheme which he said is in line with Federal Government’s initiative at making youths employers of labour.