Comrade Ayodele Olawande, Nigeria's Minister of Youth Development, has urged state governors to strengthen the National Youth Service Corps scheme. He made the appeal during a 53rd anniversary lecture for NYSC in Abuja on Thursday.
Governors must integrate corps members into state government operations, he stressed. Olawande called for improved facilities, welfare support, and security for the young professionals serving nationwide.
The minister expressed concern about calls to disband the scheme despite its decades of proven impact. According to him, NYSC has remained steady for over fifty years without interruption.
He believes the scheme deserves recognition for developing leaders who've shaped Nigeria's progress. Its alumni, he noted, have contributed significantly across all sectors of the economy.
NYSC Director General Olakunle Nafiu appealed to Nigerians to support establishment of a Trust Fund. This funding mechanism would expand the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, he explained.
Nafiu said the Trust Fund would help corps members start businesses through capital grants. It would also create more employment opportunities for young graduates, he added.
He highlighted how corps members played critical roles during recent elections across the country. Their election duties, Nafiu argued, demonstrate the scheme's continued relevance to national development.
Through vocational training programmes, corps members learn entrepreneurial and technical skills annually. These initiatives prepare graduates for self-employment and contribution to economic growth, he noted.
Nafiu promised enhanced welfare measures and better security arrangements moving forward. Corps members deserve protection throughout their service year, he stressed.
Prof. Ope Ope Jr delivered the keynote address, citing insecurity as a major concern.
Many graduates now avoid the scheme due to safety worries, he observed.
Rising unemployment and underemployment plague Nigerian youth, the professor said. These challenges have pushed some young people toward criminal activities.
Government must strengthen the NYSC and safeguard corps members nationwide, he urged. Without such support, graduates will lose faith in both the scheme and the nation.
Ope insisted that the Trust Fund must become reality without further delay. Only then can NYSC achieve its true purpose of developing Nigerian youth potential.
Emeka Mgbemena, the scheme's Media Director, delivered a welcome address at the event. He noted that despite numerous challenges over the decades, NYSC continues improving steadily.
