Date: 2016-05-22

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has expressed worry over the rise in the unemployment rate in Nigeria.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Head of Service, Hajia Zahra Omar, spoke at this year's closing ceremony of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Batch 'A' orientation camp in Yikpata Edu LGA of the state on Friday.

According to him, the high rate of unemployment among youths in the 4th quarter of 2015 rises from 9.9 percent to 10.4 percent by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The governor identified entrepreneurship as the only way to create jobs at the time of rising unemployment level in Nigeria. He said his administration has set up measures to ensure youths in the state are economically empowered so that they can become employer of labour rather than job seekers.

We have set up the Micro and Medium Scale Enterprises Scheme and make credit available to entrepreneurs, he hinted. He urged the corps members to leverage on the opportunity to contribute to the growth of the national economy.

He said also, that the Kwara State University has introduced integrated entrepreneurship programmes into its curriculum by establishing the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship Studies to instill in new breeds of school leavers the spirit of enterprises industry.

Ahmad commended the NYSC for introducing the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program which has helped many graduates to be self reliant.

p>The governor implored the Corps members to make use of the skills they have acquired during their stay in the camp, adding that they should take advantages of the Bank of Industry Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund to start small businesses. He assured them that there will be adequate security measures and welfare to ensure their safety throughout their stay in Kwara State.