Inadequate logistics for effective skill acquisition training is also a problem

The Minister of Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdul?kadir, on Tuesday called for the establishment of a National Youth Development Council.
Abdul?kadir made the call in Abuja at the ongoing Ministerial Platform on the midterm progress and achievement of President Goodluck Jonathan?s administration, organised by the Ministry of Information.
The minister said the council would serve as a forum and clearing house for all youth policy matters of national interest. According to him, the national youth policy provides for an inter-ministerial council to be called the National Youth Development Council under the chairmanship of the President.
Abdul?kadir said the council would comprise all chief executives of the core ministries such as Youth Development, Women Affairs, Education, Labour and Productivity, Agriculture, Health and Industry, Trade and Investment.
He said that the ministry was facing some challenges in terms of land allocation, adding that this had hampered the development of youth centres in some areas.
The minister also listed inappropriate running of the youth development centres, lack of adequate personnel and insufficient and late release of funds as some of the challenges being faced by the ministry.
On NYSC, the minister said the general insecurity in some parts of the country was a major challenge to the scheme. He added that there were insufficient funds to empower trained corps members under the War against Poverty Programme.
“Inadequate logistics for effective skill acquisition training is also a problem.??
He recommended that more funds should be released to the NYSC scheme for the implementation of its core programmes and for the conduct of skill acquisition, training and empowerment of corps members.
“The posting policy should be reviewed to encompass the areas of deployment of corps manpower to the sectors stipulated in the NYSC Act.
On the challenges of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, the minister said the organisation lacked a permanent office accommodation for its headquarters. “There is a need for more working equipment and mobility item for movement of participants.
“There has to be construction of standard office accommodation for staff in the training units.??
Abdul?kadir noted that there was a reduction in the number of participants in the centres because of the security challenges in the country.
The minster recommended that there should be a launch and adoption of a national campaign on patriotism and promotion of nationalist movement among the youths.
He added that there was the need to put youth development fund in place in line with global best practices, while calling for an increase in the budgetary allocation to the ministry.
The minister said that citizenship and leadership training centers needed to be reconstructed, adding that the existing ones should be refurbished and upgraded.