NAIVASHA, July 31 -The government intends to transform the National Youth Service to be the main government contractor in rebuilding the country’s infrastructure, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has said.
He said the institution would soon form three major construction squadrons to engage in road, dams, water irrigation canals and airfields construction throughout the country.
“The government is in consultations with China for the financing of a comprehensive modernisation programme for the National Youth Service (NYS). Within a couple of months the institution will receive an assortment of modern equipment,” he revealed.
The initiative, added the VP, involved the purchase of new equipment for training, farming and construction programmes.
The Vice President was speaking during the graduation of 3,575 recruits at the NYS College in Gilgil.
Among them were 820 servicewomen, 2, 755 servicemen and 1, 124 were orphans and destitute.
Musyoka said: “NYS personnel will be given priority during recruitment by other disciplined services such as the military, police, administration police, prisons and other government departments. 3, 505 National Youth Servicemen and women who were recently recruited into the administration police force are due for graduation”.
The Vice President noted that NYS was already constructing the 76km stretch of the Garissa-Malindi road which links Hola with Garsen.
He said NYS is an important national resource for the country’s national development hence the need to be accorded a chance to play their role in building a cohesive Kenyan nation.
The Vice President noted that the skills developed by the institution over many years should be harnessed through preferential treatment as a contractor in the implementation of development projects.
Musyoka further pointed out that the government had revived and equipped youth polytechnics and expanded NYS training institutions to enable the youth receive training and equip them with skills that would make them self reliant.
“Government is committed to the development and empowerment of the youth as it believes in the great potential that lies within them and will continue to invest all necessary efforts and resources to realise this potential,” he said.
The Minister for Youth and Sports, Prof Hellen Sambili said NYS had doubled its recruitment this year and the new recruits would be reporting early next month for training.
The Minister added that Sh1.8 billion had been set aside for the construction of 76Km Garissa – Malindi road to be constructed by NYS.
Prof Sambili also added that NYS was currently installing a security fence around Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
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