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NYSC To Strengthen Partnership With SMEDAN For Corps Members Empowerment

Published

2 years ago

January 17, 2024

Joel Ajayi

The National Youth Service Corps has said it would continue to strengthen its existing relationship with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) towards creating enabling environment for more Corps Members in the growth of small and medium scale enterprises in the country.

The Director General of National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General YD Ahmed stated this on Wednesday while playing host to the Director General of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, who paid him an advocacy visit at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.

The NYSC Director General said the Scheme would continue to encourage Corps Members to develop their talents and skills for self empowerment.

Ahmed, who appreciated SMEDAN for it’s roles of assisting small and medium scale enterprises to overcome poor infrastructure in the management of business operations and accessing financial services described Corps Members as versatile youths with good potentials that should be helped to develop themselves.

“We will set the ball rolling and we want to assure you of every support that you need for the benefit of the Nigerian youths”, the DG said.

Speaking earlier, the SMEDAN DG, Mr Charles Odii said there is the need for a more robust partnership with the NYSC in line with Federal Government’s drive towards job creation and youth empowerment.

He stated further that school leavers should be assisted on how to look inward in their environments to create jobs, start small businesses in order to grow national economy.

“We are here to renew our partnership with NYSC and revamp the SAED programme to make it more lucrative”, the SMEDAN DG said.

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PSIN Administrator Commends Yobe Government for Championing Leadership Continuity and Institutional Sustainability

Published

8 hours ago

November 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Cyril Igele

The Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Barrister Imeh Okon, has applauded the Yobe State Government for its strong commitment to leadership continuity and sustainable governance through strategic investment in human capital development.

Barrister Okon gave the commendation at the opening of a Management Retreat for Yobe State Permanent Secretaries, held at the PSIN headquarters in Abuja.

The retreat, themed “Succession Planning, Leadership Continuity, and Institutional Sustainability in the Yobe State Public Service,” convened senior bureaucrats and resource persons to discuss strategies for strengthening leadership and governance within the state’s civil service.

In her remarks, the PSIN Administrator praised Governor Mai Mala Buni for his foresight and partnership in prioritizing public sector training and capacity development. She described the theme of the retreat as both “timely and visionary,” emphasizing that institutions endure only when leadership is continuous, knowledge is shared, and systems—not individuals—drive performance.

“Institutions thrive not merely on structures or policies, but on the deliberate cultivation of capable leaders who can sustain progress across generations,” she said. “By prioritizing leadership continuity and institutional resilience, Yobe State is leading by example.”

Barrister Okon reiterated PSIN’s mandate to build a competent, ethical, and innovative public service capable of delivering tangible results to citizens. She stressed that effective succession planning must be anchored in continuous training, mentorship, and exposure to emerging governance trends.

Citing best practices from Singapore and the United Kingdom, Okon noted that successful public service systems deliberately identify and nurture potential leaders through structured talent pipelines and transparent career development programmes. According to her, Yobe State’s initiative reflects its readiness to sustain excellence in governance.

She also highlighted PSIN’s flagship programmes—SMART-P, which builds administrative and technical capacity; LEAD-P, designed to groom emerging leaders; and the Exit from Service Masterclass, which prepares officers for life after service. Okon urged the Yobe Government to adopt the Exit Masterclass into its human resource framework to ensure a smooth transition for retirees, preserve institutional knowledge, and promote productivity through entrepreneurship and consultancy.

“Succession planning is not an event but a culture that must be institutionalised at every level of public administration,” she added. “When we prepare successors in advance and invest in continuous learning, we guarantee the sustainability of reforms and consistency in governance.”

Declaring the retreat open, the Acting Head of Service of Yobe State, Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu, reaffirmed Governor Buni’s commitment to building a results-driven and high-performing public service.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service, Alhaji Shehu, the Acting Head of Service expressed gratitude to God and lauded PSIN as the “mother institution of public service learning.” He stated that Governor Buni has consistently directed the Office of the Head of Service to promote seamless succession planning and capacity building to enhance efficiency and accountability across government institutions.

“In line with this directive, we have brought the top echelon of the state civil service to PSIN—being the drivers and core implementers of government policies and programmes—to strengthen continuity and sustainability in our reforms,” he said.

He urged participants to fully engage in the retreat, share experiences, and cascade the knowledge gained to officers across ministries, departments, and agencies. The exercise, he explained, forms part of a deliberate strategy to institutionalize effective succession planning within the Yobe State Civil Service, thereby ensuring sustained productivity and improved service delivery to citizens.

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