Joel Ajayi

The National Youth Service Corps NYSC has urged all the states government and local government areas in the country to keep on supporting corps members through provision of security, infrastructure and other welfares that will enable them serve their fatherland effectively and efficiently.

The Director General of the Scheme, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, stated this at the meeting of NYSC top management with representatives of states government held on Wednesday, in Abuja, with the theme: “Strengthening stakeholders’ support grassroots development initiatives for greater impact.”

In his opening remark, the NYSC Boss expressed that, the meeting is aimed at further strengthening the relationship with states government, the FCT Administration and local governments, whose roles remain critical to the smooth operations of the scheme. 

According to him, this forum will review the decisions made at the previous meeting, and provide feedbacks on implementation by all participants and further strategies on the way forward. 

“I am pleased to report that since the last meeting, a number of states have shown greater commitment to the statutory obligations of NYSC. 

“We have witnessed increased interventions in the area such as, the upgrade of facilities in Orientation Camps, establishment of NYSC state governing board and local government agencies committee as well as payment of state allowances to corps members, amongst others. 

“Therefore, I use this opportunity to express gratitude to the affected states for their support with the hope that they will maintain the tempo. 

“On the other hand, there are states and LG whose performance leave much to be desired. Problems such as lack of permanent orientation camps, obsolete or inadequate facilities in the camps, lack of the shortage of Corpers’ lodges, inadequate office accommodation and non-release of the stator state subvention to the NYSC secretariat are being faced in such states. I appeal to those in this category to show more commitment to providing the enabling environment for smooth conduct of our operations.” 

He added that: “One of the major issues this meeting will focus on is reinvigoration of NYSC grassroots development activities. Those familiar with our operations will attest to the fact that successive batches of corps members have always worked with host communities to address their needs through execution of projects that have now dotted the entire landscape of the country. 

“The intervention of NYSC in community development is deliberate designed to be participatory in nature, with the Corps Members identifying felt needs, proffering solutions and mobilizing the community to provide resources for execution of planned projects. 

“The essence of community participation is to instill in the people the culture of self-help as well as development of sense ownership of social amenities provided for them.”

He lamented dwindling level of support given to the corps members; “however the level of support for development activities of the scheme is dwindling; hence need to reawaken the consciousness of stakeholders on the need to give them the desire support.”

Declaring the event open, the FCT Minister Mallam Musa Bello, who was represented by Acting Secretary Area Council Secretariat, Mrs. Olanipekun Omolola said, the meeting is timely and appropriate because NYSC plays a prominent role in uplifting the living standard of Nigerians through its various programs.

“Indeed, it is always heartwarming to see the high rate of intervention by corps members who work with communities especially in the rural areas, to execute various development projects. However, ii understand that the level of public support for such development activities is warning thereby raising concern among stakeholders in the scheme.

“Therefore, I commend the NYSC management to table this as one of the key issues to be discussed at this meeting.”

Bello also, commended the NYSC contribution towards the fight against COVID-19 “the scheme contribution to the effort to contain COVID-19 pandemic is still fresh in our memory.

“We in FCT, like communities in other parts of country benefited from items such as face mask, hand sanitizer,  liquid soap, automated and foot-operated water, sanitizer dispensers, and disinfection chambers produced and donated by corps members, amongst other interventions.

He expressed that FCT Administration will not relent in in discharging the statutory responsibilities to the scheme, especially through upgrade of facilities in the NYSC orientation camp as well as security and other welfare provisions for corps members.

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