Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma of Nasarawa State has assured that empowering youths and women would remain the cardinal objective of his administration.

The governor gave this assurance at the passing out ceremony of the 2009 Batch ‘B’ Corps members who served in the state which took place at the Lafia township stadium saying, “we have established skills acquisition centres across the state for the benefit of our youths and women groups.”

Governor Doma who was represented by the state deputy Governor, Chief John Mike Abdul said his administration has also mapped out strategies to encourage self-employment and partnership in small and medium scale enterprises and agriculture through its badakoshi agricultural loan scheme initiative as part of efforts to create job opportunities, and reduce poverty among youths and farmers in the state.

While advising the outgoing corps members to involve themselves in acquiring different trades so as to be self employed, Governor Akwe Doma pointed out that the federal government initiated numbers of schemes aimed at facilitating self employment through the establishment of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) as well as MDGs and NYSC War Against Poverty (WAP) for the benefit of serving and ex-NYSC members and implored all out going corps members to take advantage of the scheme to improve their socio-economic condition and contribute to the growth of the country.

He also urged the corps members to partner with other youths and women's towards meaningful and overall growth and development of the country even as he commended the management and staff of the NYSC in the state for efforts towards mobilizing and exposing the serving corps members to the numerous developments challenges in different parts of the state.

While congratulating the corps members for their successful completion of the service year, Governor Akwe Doma enjoined them to continue to uphold the noble objectives of the NYSC in their future endeavours by fostering dialogue, peace and understanding wherever they found themselves.

Earlier, in the welcome address, the state commissioner of sports and youth development who was also chairman, Nasarawa State NYSC governing board, Mr. Danladi Mairiga Amaje expressed gratitude to Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma and the people of the state for giving the corps members a conducive environment to enable them complete their national primary assignment in the state through the welfare and logistics support.

The commissioner assured the out going corps members that their selfless service to those communities they served, in the area of health care delivery, campaign against HIV/AIDS among others, would remain indelible and “justify the vision and mission of the founding fathers of the NYSC scheme about 37 years ago in the country.”

Mr. Amaje called on the outgoing corps members not to relent in propagating the gospel of tolerance, peace and unity among the different communities that make up the country.

On his part, the Nasarawa State NYSC coordinator, Mr. Adewuyi E. B. announced that a total of 1,602 corps members served in the state and were issued with the NYSC discharge certificates saying however that those who were found wanting would be appropriately sanctioned in accordance with the NYSC bye law.

The coordinator also noted that during the serving year, three (3) corps members died in the cause of their national assignment consequent upon which one minute silence was observed to honour them.

While calling on the outgoing corps members to be self reliant, Mr. Adewuyi enjoined them to take advantage of the various soft loan schemes initiated by some government agencies for the NYSC.

The coordinator expressed gratitude to Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma and the entire people of the state for giving the corps members the enabling environment and opportunity  to complete their compulsory national assignment.

Also speaking, the representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the deputy director in charge of NYSC prize ventures award, Mr. Gabriel Elilebo said about 33 corps members from Nasarawa State won the CBN prize award, assuring that the award was to encourage and motivate the corps members who distinguished themselves through exemplary conducts during the services.

The passing out parade, featured parade and presentation of award certificates to winning corps members.