By Ada Okafor
The Director-General of National Youth Service Corps, Major General Shuaibu lbrahim has commended the existing collaboration with the Scheme’s stakeholders.
He said the collaborations have helped in actualising the objectives for which the NYSC Scheme was established. This was contained n a statement signed by Eddy Megwa, Director, Press & Public Relations.
He stated this today while declaring open, the 2022 Community Development Service and Special Projects’ Stakeholders Meeting held at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja.
Ibrahim said the Scheme would continue to chart the way forward for improved relationship to achieve set objectives.
He said, “It is pertinent to note that we cherish having a strong affinity with our stakeholders as they play very vital roles in helping to drive the process of actualising the objectives for which the NYSC Scheme was established”.
He added that on assumption of duty, he made advocacy visits to critical stakeholders like the founder of NYSC, General Yakubu Gowon, State Governors and heads of several federal government agencies for collaborations, adding that the overwhelming support from some of them yielded good results.
He stated further that in 2020 he had a meeting with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, where he appreciated the State Governments’ efforts in supporting the Scheme and also seek more commitments on their statutory obligations with regards to NYSC camp requirements and office requisitions as spelt out in the NYSC Act.
The Director-General added the Scheme would continue to enhance the potentials of Corps Members to impact on the lives of their host communities.
Ibrahim listed several areas of Corps intervention whereby the Scheme has benefitted the public through Community Development Service (CDS).
“NYSC Sports and Cultural Festival has facilitated career paths for sports men and women, as well as sports analysts and promoters, some ex-Corps Members have carved some niches from this.
NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme has provided free quality and accessible health care for indigent rural dwellers and also a training ground for the Corps medical personnel among others”, he said.
The NYSC boss used the occasion to call on the stakeholders to support the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund that has scaled the third reading at the House of Representatives.
“The establishment of the fund will go a long way in addressing operational challenges of the Scheme and consolidate on the gains of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme through the provision of start-up funds for trained Corps Members to start their businesses.
It will equally go a long way in tackling youth unemployment and reduce crime rate in the country”, the DG added.
The Director, Community Development Service and Special Projects, Alhaji Abdulrasaq Salawu in his welcome address said the meeting was convened to appraise previous engagements and restrategise for future assignments.
He said there was the need to engage the youths in productive ventures that would positively affect their lives and others through Community Development Service, instead of allowing them to invest their potentials in crime.
Salawu urged stakeholders at the meeting to offer new suggestions that would bring new innovations for future assignments.
