Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Reprieve came the way of unemployed youths in Osun State, at the weekend, when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo inaugurated 20,000 of them into the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES).
During the inauguration held at the Osogbo City Stadium, Osinbajo urged the employees to demonstrate a deep sense of commitment and dedication to their duties and justify their employment.
He said the Federal Government’s N-power programme was designed in tandem with the OYES philosophy as a proactive measure to proffer solution to the unemployment saga in the country.
While maintaing that the Federal Government had employed 500,000 youths through the N-power programme, Vice President Osinbajo said the initiative was designed to prepare the youths for entrepreneurship life to enable them carve niches for themselves for a sustainable living.
The VP, however, commended Osun Government for introducing the OYES.
He said that the country would benefit greatly if the scheme could be embraced by other state governments.
He called on the employed youths to contribute positively to the development of the state through maximum productivity.
Said he, “As you are inaugurated today, you have a duty not only to yourself but to the state and the nation at large.
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“You are a leader of today because the future belongs to you and we are looking forward to your leadership greatness,” the Vice President added.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola had earlier said the youths were inaugurated into the scheme to maximise their potentialities and productivity with a view to contributing their quota to the development of the state and to earn a living.
The governor added that 250,000 applications had been received from the 30 Local Government Areas in the state when the vacancy was advertised out of which the 20,000 were engaged.
He said the inauguration was the 4th since the beginning of his administration in 2010.
He added that due to youths engagement in productive engagement, the state recorded the least of crime rate in the country.
According to Aregbesola, “Youths are the future of any nation and any nation who does not engage youths in productive ventures is doomed.
“But because of our believe in youths engagement, that is why we are engaging our youths in this scheme.”