The Senate has commended Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for empowering and equipping the youths with requisite skills that would enhance their financial base.
It also extolled the governor’s over the state government’s intervention in some of the pressing needs of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the adequate provision for the security of corps members serving across the state.
This commendation was made, on Wednesday, by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth, Sports and Community Engagement, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, when the committee paid a working visit to the Governor at the Enugu Government House.
The committee, which also informed the governor that they were on inspection of NYSC facilities in the state, urged the governor for more intervention on other areas such as funding and re-equipment of the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp at Agwu local government area.
Senator Adaramodu said the committee had already taken note of the good work the governor was doing not only for the NYSC but also in his engagement of youth in governance and training them with modern skills that would empower them.
He appreciated Governor Mbah for prioritizing the appointments of young persons to drive the strategic objectives of his administration.
The senator, who was joined by his colleague from Ebonyi State as well as a member of the committee, Senator Kenneth Eze, and others in his entourage, called for the strengthening of the institution, saying NYSC had contributed toward nation-building and national unity which should be sustained.
He bemoaned some of the decaying facilities in the scheme, noting that NYSC was faced with challenges of infrastructure, shelter, epileptic power supply and logistics.
Responding, the governor said his administration had made some significant intervention at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in terms of improving and upgrading the facilities, adding that his government would continue to support the scheme in other areas despite the lean resources at the disposal of the administration.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Chidiebere Onyia, noted that his government had previously undertaken the re-roofing and other renovation of the NYSC permanent campground.
He added that efforts were being made to embark on strategic measures in rebuilding the structure, saying that a permanent parade ground had already been allocated to the scheme to aid their training.
Governor Mbah further said that the administration was deliberately up-skilling the youths with the right training and competencies to compete at the global stage.
While calling for maintenance culture to be strengthened in most of the institutions, the governor enjoined the senate to consider the significance of the state and make appropriate appreciable allocation for skill acquisition and training for the youths in the state.