NYSC at 50: FG hails corps members on national development

PAULETTE ORJIME, Abuja

The Federal Government has commended the contributions of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in diverse areas to the overall development of the country.

It added that the scheme in almost fifty years of its existence has remained a strong tool for socio-economic development and national unity.

The Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare stated this on Tuesday in his address at the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 NYSC Annual Management Conference with the theme, “Optimizing the Operations of NYSC at 50 for National Development,” held in Abuja. 

Dare said there is a need for reforms in NYSC in order to enhance service delivery and also meet the challenges of the 21st-century youths as potential entrepreneurs.

The minister added that Government would continue to preserve the Scheme for its roles in national development and youth empowerment. 

Dare commended the past managers of the Scheme for introducing Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme into its Orientation Course programme.

He acknowledged that the SAED programme has produced hundreds of youth entrepreneurs.

The minister also lauded the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Retired) and other stakeholders across the country for their support towards the actualization of the proposed NYSC Trust Fund.

He tasked the conference participants to “take the NYSC in the direction of another trajectory of progress, digital revolution, supporting and moulding the youths within one year to be better citizens for national development and national unity.”

In his welcome address, the NYSC Director-General (DG), Brigadier General Y. D. Ahmed said the scheme has remained a reference point for other organisations, since its inception in 1973.

Ahmed noted that the success of NYSC is due to its vital roles in the promotion of national unity and integration, peaceful co-existence among Nigerians of diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and free movement of labour.

Ahmed disclosed that despite its laudable achievements, NYSC is still battling some operational challenges such as; dilapidated facilities at the orientation camps, and inadequate corps lodges.

The scheme is also lacking befitting office accommodation in some states and is bedevilled by inadequate operational vehicles, among others.

Ahmed, therefore, appealed to critical stakeholders to discharge their statutory responsibilities to NYSC and also empower more corps members with start-up capital for self-reliance after going through the scheme’s entrepreneurial training.

The DG further stated that the proposed NYSC Trust Fund, when actualized, would make the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme more functional, through the provision of training facilities and start-up capital to finance the businesses of corps entrepreneurs.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Alhaji Muhammed Musa Bello commended the various innovations and positive strides made by the scheme to date.

The minister’s address was read by the Mandate Secretary, FCT Administration, Hajia Hadiza Mohammed Kabir.

Kabir disclosed that corps members posted to the FCT have contributed immensely to the development of schools, hospitals, rural infrastructure, culture and tourism, sports, the conduct of elections, population census, and job creation, among others.

“The nation surely looks up to the scheme to continue to provide the required manpower for its accelerated development”, he said.

In her goodwill address, the Chairman of the NYSC National Governing Board, Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar represented by Alhaji Yusuf Nalado appealed for continued stakeholders’ support for NYSC.

The NYSC Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Ahmed Wada Ikaka said the conference participants would make useful contributions towards evolving new ideas and best practices that will form a road map that will improve the scheme’s operations for greater impact.

The participants at the conference were drawn from the 37 NYSC State/ FCT Secretariats, Area Offices and other formations of the scheme across the country.