JOEL AJAYI

National Youth Service Corps NYSC, has revealed that, the Scheme is not leaving any stone unturned towards the promotion of peaceful co-existence among people of diverse sociocultural as well as ensuring unflinching contributions to all spheres of  national development in the country.

The Director General of the Scheme, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, gave this assurance on Wednesday, in Abuja, at opening ceremony of the 2021 NYSC Annual Management Conference AMIC with the theme: “The NYSC as a Catalyst for National Unity, Integration and Peaceful Co-existence in Nigeria.”

He expressed that NYSC, since birth, has come handy as a rescue agency for Nigeria’s socio-cultural hegemony.

According to him, it is a known fact that NYSC has remained a national asset, which plays vital role in the promotion of peaceful co-existence among people of diverse socio-cultural backgrounds through the deployment of Corps members to locations away from their States of origin and geo-political zones.

“We not only create conditions for them to work together, but also take deliberate steps to fully integrate them into their host communities.

“The contributions of the Scheme to all spheres of the national development including education, health, infrastructural development, sports, free movement of labour, provision of free legal aid services, conduct of elections and job creation, amongst others, have also attracted widespread applause both nationally and internationally. As you may be aware, elaborate documentation of the Scheme’s accomplishments, since inception, has been made in nine books, which were formally unveiled on 10th June, 2021.

 “I wish to acknowledge the support of critical stakeholders, and assure of our commitment to working together to uphold the ideas of the Scheme and sustain its smooth operations.

“Even as we continue to celebrate our achievements, this conference seeks to consolidate them and break new grounds by coming up with fresh ideas and initiatives that will enable the Scheme operate optimally while being continually responsive to national needs.”

Speaking on the importance of the conference, the DG said: “In keeping with our tradition of enriching the content of the conference, this edition will feature, amongst other activities, lectures on the following topical issues to be delivered by experienced resource persons:

“The Role of NYSC as a Deliberate Instrument for National Unity; NYSC as a Critical Institution in the Promotion of Peaceful Co-existence in Nigeria; and NYSC as a Potent Instrument for Social Engineering and National Integration.”

Brig. Gen. Ibrahim however, thanked States and Local Governments for their support over the years and also appealed for continued intervention to address the aforementioned problems where they exist.

In her address, the Chairman of NYSC National Governing Board, Amb. Fatima Balla Abubakar, who was represented by the Alhajii Yusuf Malado, commended the NYSC for her enormous contribution towards the fighting of COVID-19;

She charged them to continue in their contribution towards the country’s national integration, growth and development.

Speaking also, was the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Bello Musa, represented by the FCT Acting Secretary, Social Development Secretariat, Dr Kelvin Ike, who  applauded the current Management of the NYSC for its vibrancy and high level of commitment to ensuring that the Scheme sustains its relevance.

He said: “The innovations brought by the Scheme is the sensitization of general public about its activities and in particular, the recent programme carried out by corps members in the FCT, the health initiative for rural dwellers HIRD, is quite commendable.”

The Minister therefore, assured that FCT will continue to partner with the Scheme to see to the successful implementation of its lofty objectives.

In his welcome address, the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Ahmed Wada Ikaka, stated that the Annual Management Conference is a forum where Top Management and other drivers of the Scheme meet to take stock of activities of the NYSC with a view to mapping out strategies and programmes that would consolidate on our achievements and address identified challenges for improved performance.

He charged the participants to make useful contributions in the course of this conference the will bring new ideas and best practices which will form a road map that will improve the Scheme’s operations for greater impact

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