COVID-19 worsening unemployment, says NYSC boss

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, on Wednesday said the coronavirus pandemic has worsened the state of unemployment in the country. Ibrahim made this known in Abuja when the Chief Executive Officer of Hall 7 Project, Olayinka Braimoh, paid him a visit at his office, According to him, since pandemic has brought serious economic meltdown and the scarcity of jobs, skill acquisition has, therefore, become very compelling. According to a statement by the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi, the DG was quoted as saying, “Jobs are not available like before and COVID-19 has also brought serious economic meltdown. We are ready for your collaboration that would bring tremendous benefit to our corps members and other youths in the country.” Ibrahim had earlier paid a visit to Braimoh in order to revisit an agreement earlier reached by the two entities in respect to the construction of a skills acquisition centre at Ezi community in Delta State. According to him, the expansion of the NYSC skills acquisition programme was one of the five policy thrusts of his administration which underscored the vigour with which he pursued it. Adeyemi added, “Braimoh revealed that his company and NYSC had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the issue at hand, stating that a curriculum for the various skill sets had already been developed, awaiting the approval of NYSC for work to begin. He expressed delight at the DG’s passion for the project to come to fruition.”