Tambuwal Lauds Students/Youth Discount Card Initiative

Damilola Oyedele

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has hailed the introduction of the Nigerian Student and Youth Corps Discount Card (NSYCDC) Initiative, as one which would assist Nigerian youths navigate through the current economic challenges being experienced in the country.

Tambuwal, speaking when he met with the initiators and backers of the initiative in Sokoto recently, said the current economic challenges of the country provide an avenue for youths to work towards economic independence, and entrepreneurship.

“This is a highly commendable initiative that will benefit our students and youth corps members. Not only that, initiatives like this have a very big role to play in the development of States and individuals,” he said.
He also called on young people to explore innovations and harness their creative potentials, rather than engage in criminality.

The discount card, also called Naija Green card, was launched in March 2016 and already has 3,421 merchants and partners in 21 states with over 4000 card users nationwide, on the platform. It was designed to provide discounts at different percentages to tertiary institution students and your corps members, for goods and services with the accredited merchants which include airlines, boutiques, book-stores, transport companies, and others.

Tambuwal however noted that the state would encourage its senior secondary students to enlist on the platform alongside tertiary education students from the state.

Speaking earlier, the initiator of the Naija Green card, Hon. Bimbo Daramola explained that the card was created to ease financial burden on parents and guardians.
“We felt that the various discounts that we have negotiated with our partners nationwide for wide-ranging goods and services, our youths would be able to do more with the little allowances given to them from home. In the same vein, parents’ burdens are reduced to some extent because demands from their wards would equally be affected,” he said.

“It is a win-win situation for us a nation because, besides joining the comity of nations that have been on this platform for decades, this initiative has the capacity to determine our next level of development,” Daramola added.
The card also provides the state the chance to collate the bio-data and status of its students, and its graduating youth, which can be used for demographic purposes, he added.