NYSC seeks support for camps, accommodation

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has solicited for support from stakeholders to address the dilapidated condition of the NYSC orientation camps in some states, inadequate Corps lodges and lack befitting office accommodation facing the scheme.

The Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, made the appeal at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Annual Management Conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ibrahim said the scheme was constrained to ask for more from key stakeholders in the provision of permanent orientation camps or upgrade of facilities in existing ones.

He added that the scheme also calls for adequate and secured accommodation for corps members and other forms of interventions spelt out in the NYSC Act.

“The scheme is also facing some operational challenges occasioned by non-discharge of statutory responsibilities by some critical stakeholders and other dynamics of the operating environment,’’ he said.

In spite of the challenges, Ibrahim said in the 46 years of NYSC existence, the scheme had recorded tremendous success in the areas of national unity and integration, health, education and free legal aid services, among others.

The NYSC boss said the conference was a platform for top managers of the scheme to critically review its policies and operations with a view to evolving strategies for enhanced performance.

He said the determination to be optimal in meeting public expectations on the NYSC mandate informed the choice of the theme of the conference; “Optimising the operational efficiency of the NYSC for effective service delivery’’.

The Minister of Youth and Sport Development, Mr Sunday Dare, said hosting the conference was a demonstration of commitment of NYSC to realise the goals and objectives of the scheme.

The minister represented by, Dr Maryam Abdullah, Director Network and Social Mobilisation, urged the scheme to sustain innovations that would further sanitise the mobilisation process.

He therefore expressed the determination of the ministry to empower the corps members with digital skills to enhance their employability in the highly competitive global markets.

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, said self appraisal was important for the development of organisations and commended the NYSC for the conference.

The minister was represented by Prof. Mohammed Usman, Senior Special Adviser to the minister on Administration.

Bello said it was always important for an organisation to reflect on what it has done correctly and what has not been done correctly in its more than 40-year life.

While noting that some people were recently questioning the relevance of the scheme, the advised the NYSC management to come up with programmes that would address the challenge.