Chief Sunday Adetona, a community leader in Egosi-Ile, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara, has advised NYSC members to strive to be job creators in their quest for self-actualisation.

Adetona gave the advice while addressing the Community Development Service (CDS) group of the NYSC in the council area in Egosi-Ile on Wednesday.

He said there was ample opportunity for the corps members to acquire vocational skills to be self-reliant rather than depend on salaries to achieve their live desires.

Adetona, also the Odofin of Egosi, said the need for re-ordering of priorities by the corps members became necessary since the government could not provide employment for all the graduates being churned out yearly.

"There is no government or institution that can absorb the numerous graduates coming out of our institutions at the same time.

"I think it would be an added advantage if some of you can pick interest in acquiring vocational skills to be self- sustaining and in contributing your quota to the nation's growth and development.

"While striving to impact positively on the living standard of the people of your host community, it is not out of place to also learn one or two things to be able to tackle future challenges effectively.

"That decision toward re-ordering of priorities in acquiring skills from people of the communities is better taken now as you embark on the vigorous exercise of serving your fatherland,'' Adetona said.

The community leader said a lot of development had taken place within the communities which accounted for the recent influx of youths into the area in search of greener pasture.

"Most of the communities are now overwhelmed by different youths and women empowerment initiatives through skill acquisition programmes by both state and local government.

"This aggressive empowerment initiative has no doubt become the magic wand that had continue to attract a lot of youths into the communities to earn a decent living," he said.

He listed some of the vocational skills to include cloth weaving and dying, shoes, bags and leather works, farming, soap making, ceramics, cosmetology as well as other profitable small-scale enterprises.

Adetona pledged the cooperation of the community to make activities of the corps members rewarding.

Mr Idris Owoseni, the leader of the group, thanked the community for their hospitality and expressed the members' desire to impact positively on living standard of the people in the community. (NAN)