*HONOURABLE COMMISSIONER GIFTS CORPS MEMBERS, STAFF .6M AS SAED IN-CAMP TRAINING CLOSES*

The Honourable Commissioner for Youths and Sports and Chairman NYSC State Governing Board, Hon. Lawal Azeez Olayemi has gifted corps members and staff #600,000 as his contribution towards the success of the 2022 Batch A Stream 1 Carnival celebration slated for Saturday. Each Platoon received the sum of 50,000 naira, while 100,000 was for the members of Staff. 

The Hon. Commissioner disclosed this while delivering a goodwill address at the Interplatoon Skills competition and Closing Ceremony of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development in-camp training on Friday at the Multipurpose Hall of the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ede. 

Hon. Lawal called on the Members to embrace skill acquisition as a way out of poverty and unemployment. According to him, the State Government is passionate about Corps Members welfare and security during the service year. 

He enjoined them to be beacon of hope to other children and youths in their locality and host communities. He said that the cash gift from him to the Corps Members is his way of appreciating them for their commitment, patriotism and zeal in nation building. 

Calling out the platoon leaders to request what the Corps Members would want the Government to do for them, Hon. Lawal assured the Members of the Government support in creating a conducive and homely environment for them to thrive. He further assured them of his readiness to prevail on the Government for an upward review of their State allowance. 

The NYSC Osun State Coordinator, Mrs Winifred Shokpeka in her response while declaring the In-camp training closed, appreciated the Hon. Commissioner and his team for visiting and also for supporting the programmes of the Orientation Course. She recalled that the Commissioner had during previous Orientation sponsored the Variety Nite and now, the Carnival. 

She thanked the Chairman for his commitment and support for the Scheme in the State and assured him of the Corps Members readiness to step down every training and skills they have learned to the people of their host communities across the State. 

She charged the Members to continue to be good ambassadors of the NYSC at their Local Government of posting within the State. She enjoined them to hone their skills by enrolling in the Post Camp training of the SAED programmes to become Masters in their chosen skill. 

Earlier, the Head of SAED, Mr Aleshinloye Lukeman had commended the Corps Members for joining various skill classes and not making the process a rigorous one. He went further to tell Corps Members to continue with the Post Camp training, which will give them the chance of getting not only the NYSC certificate but also the SAED certificate. 

He went further to explain the importance of the SAED certificate, stating that, it is their gateway to getting aids and Grants from the government to build businesses of their own. 

The exhibition kicked off with the presentation by various classes. Twenty three classes were represented by trainees who gave testimonies on what they had been taught by bringing samples of their products from their classes.  

The interplatoon skills competition was in six skills namely: Leatherworks, Tie and Dye, Bead Making and Fascinators, Autogele, Tailoring and Food Processing and Preservation. In Leatherworks, platoon 4, 5 and 2 came 1st, 2nd and 3rd position respectively. tie and dye, Platoon 7, 6 and 5 came 1st, 2nd and 3rd in Tie and Dye. In tailoring, platoon 7 came 1st, platoon 2 came 2nd while platoon 9 came 3rd. In Autogele, platoon 7 came 1st, platoon 9 came 2nd, while platoon 4 came 3rd. In Bead Making, platoon 6 came 1st, platoon 8 came 2nd while platoon 5 came 3rd. While in Food Processing, platoon 3 came 1st, platoon 8 came 2nd while platoon 5 came 3rd.

  Other dignitaries who accompanied the Commissioner include: the SSA to the Governor on Social Bureau Services, Hon. Anwo Ezekiel, SSA to the Commissioner, Hon. Olaide Mustapha, the PS Ministry of Youths and Sports, Mrs Oladunjoye, among others.