The Federal Government has commended the National Youth Service Corps for complementing its efforts towards creating jobs for youths.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung, made the commendation at the closing ceremony of the maiden edition of the NYSC Skills and Entrepreneurship Festival, which took place at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.

Dalung said the discipline and innovativeness demonstrated by Corps members throughout the period of the competitions marking the festival represented a ray of hope in the present administration's effort at encouraging the Nigerian youths to make careers outside the formal labour market.

"The continued relevance of the NYSC can be better appreciated through the display of these young men and women during the festival.

"I, therefore, commend the Management of the Scheme for living up to the dreams of its founding fathers by inculcating the spirit of self-reliance in the Nigerian youths through the SAED initiative," he said.

The Minister also praised the present management of the Scheme for the expansion of the SAED programme through the establishment of zonal skills centres for the post-camp training of Corps members as well the deployment of ICT in the implementation of the programme.

Dalung pledged the continued support of the Federal Government to the success of the NYSC, especially in the area of skills acquisition and youth empowerment.

He also expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for always giving priority attention to matters affecting the Scheme, especially through government's intervention for the mobilization of the backlog of Corps members for the 2016 and 2017 service years.