Dalun (N/R), Jan. 17, GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, has asked young persons enlisted under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYIP) not to regard the scheme as a permanent form of employment but rather as an opportunity to upgrade their capabilities.

He therefore urged them set aside part of their earnings to improve their academic qualification in order to make themselves attractive. Alhaji Idris gave the advice at the opening of a three-day orientation workshop for volunteer teachers who were enlisted under the NYIP in Dalun in the Tolon/kumbungu District on Monday.

"You should not think of making your engagement as volunteer teachers (and in some cases) auxiliary nurses or community protectors, your last resort," the Regional Minister told the volunteers, adding that they should use the various modules of the scheme as spring board to realise their talents.

He said the scheme was not set up for the sake of politics and asked the youth to embrace it.

Alhaji Idris also urged the youth to educate their communities on the advantages of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and encourage the people to register in order to access affordable and quality health care.

Mr Alhassan Alhassan, District Employment Co-ordinator of the NYIP, said 957 young people in the district had been enrolled into the scheme out of which 274, including 65 women, were volunteer teachers.

He said under the Youth in Agriculture module, 361 persons, including 11 women, had been recruited and that they had so far ploughed and seeded 542 acres of maize and 160 acres of rice.

Mr Alhassan said some 36 and 200 persons had also been hired for the sanitation and community protection modules and were currently being trained.