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  • NYSC to review CDS programme

    NYSC to review CDS programme

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has restated its commitment to strengthen the Community Development Service (CDS) programmes for national development. 

    Director-General of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen Yusha’u Ahmed, said there was a need to enhance the CDS programme to enable the NYSC contribute more to national development, and assist the country in measuring up with global trends of emerging economies. He spoke yesterday during the 2023 NYSC Community Development Service (CDS) Schedule Officers’ Workshop in Abuja. 

    Gen. Ahmed, represented by the Director, Community Development Service and Special Projects, Zainab Isah, said the workshop would also serve as a forum where consensus would be built on tackling emerging CDS challenges.

    He said: “The NYSC Community Development Service (CDS) programme is designed to galvanise the potentials of our youths and generate community interests towards national development. It utilises the challenges posed by rural development, and inculcates in our youths the ideals and capacities for leadership, endurance, selflessness, community and national service, as well as patriotism and creativity.

    Read Also: NYSC secures release of female corps member kidnapped in Zamfara

    “As such, there is no gainsaying that through the CDS programme, the Scheme is able to connect directly with the grassroots, offering developmental initiatives which have revolutionised our communities in education, infrastructure, healthcare delivery, agriculture, economic empowerment and, above all, national consciousness and socio-cultural regeneration.”

    “The continued relevance of the National Youth Service Corps is, no doubt, largely predicated on the strength and capacity of the CDS programme to impact more on the lives of Nigerians, especially, rural dwellers. It is on this note that the theme of the workshop, ‘Rejigging the NYSC Community Development Service for National Development’, was carefully adopted to allow us brainstorm on possible ways of enhancing the CDS programme, to enable the Scheme contribute more to national development.” 

  • NYSC secures release of female corps member kidnapped in Zamfara

    NYSC secures release of female corps member kidnapped in Zamfara

    The National Youth Service Corps has said it has secured the release of one of the female Prospective Corps Members (PCMs), kidnapped by bandits on August 17.

    In a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, NYSC, Eddy Megwa on Saturday in Abuja, the NYSC was confident that with the combined efforts of security agencies, the remaining would be released.

    Recall that the seven PCMs from Akwa Ibom State were abducted on August 17 by gunmen in Zamfara State while on their way to the camp, and their abductors had demanded N200 million.

    Read Also: Furore over death of Borno commissioner at guest house

    The statement reads: “Management of the National Youth Service Corps wishes to convey to the general public that the scheme, through the help of security agencies on Friday, 20th October 2023 at about 12.30 pm secured the release of one of the female prospective corps members abducted in Zamfara, out of the seven in captivity and the bus driver.

    “The Scheme is confident that with the combined efforts of security agencies, the remaining will be released.

    “As corps members and prospective ones alike are admonished by management to always prioritise their personal security; the Scheme shall never shirk its responsibility of upholding the security and welfare of corps members at all times.”

  • Time to review the NYSC Scheme

    Time to review the NYSC Scheme

    To much has been said in the past years with regard to the Nigeria Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in terms of its significance in our polity, and its impacts. Over the years the NYSC has also become a national development tool. It has also become a political tool to either support or disparage political opponents.   Therefore, I find it necessary to x-ray the NYSC scheme from a historical and current situation perspective, and also recommend how the NYSC could be in a better position for national development.

     The NYSC was created on 22 May 1973 during General Yakubu Gowon’s regime with the vision and objective of national reconciliation, reconstruction, and rebuilding and unity 4 years after the civil war. It was established based on decree No. 24 which stated that the scheme was created “with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity. 

     In the past 50 years, the NYSC has been very impactful from its inception. We have witnessed inter-tribal, inter-religious, and inter-regional marriages during and after the scheme. Lifelong friendships and bonds have been established, and national awareness has increased. 

     But about 20 years ago, the quality and impacts of the NYSC started to decline. Even though, in my opinion, the NYSC is still relevant, the scheme is losing its momentum and inertia has set in. Consequently, I urge the Mr. President to initiate a process with the support of the national assembly to redefine the Purpose of NYSC, and reset the objectives by making it voluntary, for a better impact for the youths, their family, and the country:

    Read Also: Alternative routes as Third Mainland Bridge shuts down for 24hrs

     Accordingly, if we undertake an assessment of the NYSC in the last 25 years, the outcome will show that the downsides of the NYSC are increasing. Subconsciously, inadvertently corruption has crept into the Corps, the reason why I am of the opinion that we should look at the NYSC scheme in order to correct all the wrongs and put the scheme fully on a progressive trajectory in line with our current national socio-economic realities while taking into cognizance the future outlook and aspirations for the teeming youth of Nigeria alive and yet unborn.

     While it is understandable that it was mandatory in 1973; with less population of youth at the stage of the evolution of Nigeria just coming out of the Civil war, and Nigeria at the prime of its economic boom. But the NYSC should not continue to be compulsory, 50 years after its inception and beyond, with over 60 million youths with dwindling resources and more cosmopolitan and different mindsets and dispositions in a fully democratized Nigeria. The national unity imperatives of today are not exactly the same as those of 50 years ago.

     The NYSC scheme will continue to suffer financial, budgetary, and other challenges due to increasing population and demographic challenges with the attendant socio-economic impacts on the resources of the nation that continue to stifle the NYSC of resources (which will continue to increase) needed to build more capacity to deliver the mandate. 

     It is worthy of note that a 50-year national initiative without structural and system reviews and reforms; in terms of relevance and impact is certainly becoming outdated. We must realize that there is an immediate need to review the scheme in terms of vision, strategy, legislation, operations, etc. 

     A need for review of nysc legislation

     In my opinion, Section 2 of the NYSC Act stipulates that every Nigerian citizen who graduated from any tertiary institution in and outside Nigeria and was not 30 years old shall be mobilized for the one-year compulsory national youth service, while any person above 30 was not eligible to participate in the service.

     The above provision of the NYSC Act that makes NYSC compulsory has outlived its time and should be reviewed to make the scheme voluntary. The development will free up more resources for the NYSC to do a better job focusing only on those youth who voluntarily join and will be committed to the service. Those who do not wish to undertake the NYSC scheme should also be allowed to utilize their time how they deem fit so as not to waste our dwindling natural resources. The legislation should also recognize those who decide to undertake the 1-year NYSC as a national service and should be considered an added advantage for them for employment opportunities and national service endeavors. In addition, making it a voluntary national service will be in line with the constitutional provision that guarantees every Nigerian fundamental human right.

     In terms of the deliverables of the scheme, the upscaling of the skill acquisition programme to make them robust and more far-reaching and impactful  in terms of facilities, other resources, and capacities would be priorities. Eventful deliverables with marginal impacts refer to situations whereby the NYSC scheme has become an event after the fact, i.e. after graduation from tertiary institutions, for people to go through that process by hook or by crook with majorly no real commitment of nationalism and patriotism. People basically undergo the program without a true commitment to the fundamental objectives but just in order to “fulfill” a requirement. 

    Some key points to note

    Over the past 20 years, evidence and witnesses have shown that the majority of the NYSC schemes are not undertaken by most Corp members in line with the tenets and provisions of the NYSC Act. The majority of the graduates who collect the NYSC certificates were actually not qualified to be awarded the certificates rightly or wrongly, due to some of the following reasons:

    •With rising insecurity, parents, guardians, and benefactors try to find a way for their children not to serve in “hotspot” areas that are facing the vagaries of insecurity. Therefore, they find a way to change the postings of their wards to what they consider a safer state or locations that are close to home or that are more convenient for their wards. In some cases, the move is to enable their wards to post the Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs) where they could be retained with lucrative employment. That in itself is a defeat of the initial objective of the scheme of entrenching national unity and cohesion.

    •Privileged/ rich parents, guardians, wards, or even the graduates themselves, influence the re-routing of the PPA for their children to their areas of comfort so that they will not “suffer”, while the children of the poor are left with no option but to take whatever they see and suffer the vagaries.

    •The fact that most of the graduates who are privileged or who can “pay their way” through the process, do not end up actually serving. They actually pay their way out and do what is called “ghosting’, so that they don’t even go through the process. What they do is that the graduates abscond from the PPAs while they pay for all the processes, forfeit all/ part of the monthly allowances to the operatives at their PPAs, only to appear once in 3 months or not at all, and in the end, the end they get all the necessary documentations signed, undergo passing out parade and get certificates of service. This is clearly corruption and not qualification.

    •While some of the graduates enjoy the above-mentioned shortcuts, a lot of their fellow-graduates struggle for months to even get PPAs sometimes without success. I have personally heard the case of a lady who encountered so much difficulty because, since February this year, she has not been receiving their monthly allowance due to some technical issues, and because she does not have “godfathers/ godmothers” she has been struggling, living from hand to mouth. This shouldn’t be happening to anyone undergoing such a compulsory national assignment. It’s unfair to put our youths in such difficult situations year on year in the name of national service. This will erode the feeling and mindset of patriotism from the minds of the youths.

    •The NYSC scheme is facing process and system issues whereby sometimes Corp members struggle to do something as simple as locating their PPAs on the portal without stress. This reflects the need for more investment to scale up the ICT capabilities and manning levels of the NYSC systems, etc. 

     Therefore, due to the complicated situations that put some people in different complex situations; I  advocate for the re-direction and restructure of the vision and operations of the NYSC scheme in such ways and manners that it abuse of the scheme will be eradicated/ scaled down and made more impactful, so that our youth will not be inadvertently be initiated into a system of corruption thereby upscaling a perennial corrupt corporate and national culture that we have been struggling to cure albeit by mantra and rhetoric, as a people and as a nation. Ethical and attitudinal corrupt practices are worse than transactional corrupt practices because it is the former that leads to the latter. Because attitudinal corrupt practices attack the very foundation of our core values as a nation.

  • Peter Obi’s names on University certificate, NYSC different, says Arabambi

    Peter Obi’s names on University certificate, NYSC different, says Arabambi

    • ’No discrepancy in Obi’s certificates’

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP), Abayomi Arabambi, has alleged a discrepancy in the credentials of the party’s presidential candidate in this year’s election, Mr. Peter Obi.

    Arabambi made the allegation during an interview on Africa Independent Television (AIT), monitored by The Nation, while reacting to Obi’s media briefing on the controversy over President Bola Tinubu’s Chicago State University (CSU) certificate controversy.

    He said: “I was part of the people who did screening for him. In the Form EC9 we gave him, he wrote that he attended the University of Nigeria Nsukka and he wrote that he finished his national youth service. But unfortunately, in the final submission of the form, he only submitted his school certificate.”

    Read Also: CSU: Atiku begs Peter Obi, Kwankwaso to help him get ‘Justice’

    “So, something is fishy. I want to say the name of the school sent for mobilisation was not what was written on his NYSC certificate, and he knows that.

    “This destination that he is going, I don’t know what he wants to achieve. We have before the Supreme Court his own petition and the pleadings are not there. You are now calling out someone to come and reveal his true identity. For us, we don’t know the true identity of Peter Obi, even in the Labour Party, because everything was shrouded in secrecy at that time between him and Abure in Asaba…”

    Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the LP faction, led by Julius Abure, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, has dismissed claims that Obi has discrepancies in his certificates.

    In a statement yesterday, Obiora said: “Arabambi is obviously doing the bidding of his paymasters who are desperate to destroy our party and distract Nigerians from further querying the less than transparent credentials of President Bola Tinubu.

    “He should try something else. Our candidate, Peter Gregory Obi, is a known figure whose parentage, birth, schools attended and record of public service, has never been in dispute.

    “Like our candidate himself said publicly yesterday, some of his mates at the University of Nigeria Nsukka are alive…”

  • Peter Obi’s names on university certificate, NYSC different, says Arabambi

    Peter Obi’s names on university certificate, NYSC different, says Arabambi

    Abayomi Arabambi, the national publicity secretary of the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP), has alleged a discrepancy in Peter Obi‘s credentials.

    Arabambi made the allegation during an interview on AIT on Wednesday, October 12, while reacting to Obi’s press conference on the controversy over Bola Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate.

    He noted that he was among the people who screened Obi before the presidential primary of the party.

    According to Arabambi, the name written on Obi’s academic certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), was different from the name written on the NYSC certificate of the former governor.

    Read Also: Clear doubts on CSU saga, Obi tells Tinubu

    He said: “I was part of the people who did screening for him. In the form EC9, we gave him, he wrote that he attended the University of Nigeria Nsukka and he wrote that he finished his youth service but unfortunately, in the final submission of the form he only submitted his school certificate.

    “So something is fishy and I want to say the name the school sent for mobilization was not what was written on his NYSC certificate and he knows that.

    “This destination that he is going, I don’t know what he wants to achieve. We have before the Supreme Court his own petition and the pleadings are not there, you are now calling out someone to come and reveal his true identity. For us, we don’t know the true identity of Peter Obi even in the Labour Party because everything was shrouded in secrecy at that time between him and Abure in Asaba.

    “You know we were rushing because we had just a day to do our presidential primary and that was why he was able to get away with it, but we have it on record that Obi’s name on his NYSC certificate and the one on his University of Nigeria, Nsukka certificate are different.”

  • FG must employ NYSC members affected by electoral violence – Reps

    FG must employ NYSC members affected by electoral violence – Reps

    The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Civil Service Commission to work in collaboration with the Federal Character Commission to employ public service corps members who are victims of election violence while working as election officials.

    The House asked the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce a comprehensive list of corps members who participated in the 2023 elections and are victims of election violence for such employment.

    This followed a motion on notice by Emmanuel Ukpong–Udo on the need to employ the corps members who were victims of election violence into the civil service or INEC.

    Ukpong-Udo recalled that the INEC held the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on February 2, 2023, followed by Governorship and House of Assembly Elections on March 11, 2023, and April 15, 2023, for supplementary elections.

    Read Also: End mobilization processes abuse, NYSC tells corps-producing institutions

    According to him, as part of ensuring the success of the elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission co-opted over 200,000 youth corps members as ad-hoc staff to assist in the administration of the elections, thus, constituting approximately 80% of the INEC ad-hoc staff.

    He disclosed that some of the corps members were reported to have been victims of election violence, sustaining injuries from gunshots and matchets.

    He said despite facing threats, the corps members remained committed to ensuring that the 2023 elections were conducted in accordance with their assigned roles.

    The lawmaker said that as a way of compensating them for their sacrifice for this important National Assignment, there is a need to employ the corps members who were victims of the election violence to compensate for their losses and encourage future participation.

  • End mobilization processes abuse, NYSC tells corps-producing institutions

    End mobilization processes abuse, NYSC tells corps-producing institutions

    Director – General, National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier Gen Yusha’u Ahmed has asked corps-producing institutions to eliminate other infractions that are products of insider abuses during mobilisation processes.

    The DG spoke during the 2023 pre – mobilisation workshop for Batch C in Abuja on Friday.

    He noted that despite the introduction of several measures to eliminate flaws, it was quite worrisome that there were still shortcomings, especially on the part of some corps-producing institutions.

     The NYSC boss said despite several measures unanimously agreed upon at previous workshops with corps-producing institutions, there are still breaches that constituted hindrances to the achievement of the desired objectives.

    He said: “As you are already aware, this forum offers an opportunity for appraisal of our respective roles in the mobilisation process. The energy and resources invested are indicative of our determination to continually improve the process. However, while we have introduced several measures to eliminate flaws, it is quite worrisome that there are still shortcomings, especially on the part of some Corps Producing Institutions. Therefore, our focus will be on overcoming the observed shortcomings with a view to ensuring a seamless process.

    “Despite several measures unanimously agreed upon at previous workshops, there are still breaches that constitute hindrances to the achievement of the desired objectives. I must, therefore, reiterate the need for Corps Producing Institutions, as major sources of the Mobilization data, to take adequate steps to enhance their integrity.

    “You will recall that before we commenced the inscription of course of study and date of graduation on the NYSC Certificate in 2021, we had cases whereby graduates mobilised based on their supposed fields of studies, later confessed to studying different courses, especially those that were not accredited. Other infractions that are products of insider abuses must be eliminated completely.

    “Although our records show that some of the infractions that were a source of serious concern have reduced compared to the last few years, we shall continue to tackle observed lapses until we are able to attain an error-free mobilisation process. The ultimate aim is to have data that will be completely reliable.

    “In this regard, this meeting will address some infractions identified during the 2023 Batch ‘B’ Orientation Course. Among them were deliberate alteration of date of graduation to enable prospective corps members to get mobilised as well as disparities between the names on Statement of Results and those on Call-up letters.

    “While these infractions should ordinarily attract sanctions, especially in line with our earlier resolutions, management has decided to give the last warning to the schools involved.

    Read Also: We’re committed to bringing justice close to the people –Uzodimma

    “I urge all and sundry to pay particular attention to the issue of poor implementation and outright non-implementation of policies and resolutions as these constitute drawbacks to the mobilisation process. By the time all resolutions made here are implemented to the letter, many of the identified challenges would have fizzled out.”

    The DG said during the 2023 Batch ‘B’ pre-mobilization workshop, corps producing institutions were mandated to return all unclaimed Exemption Certificates and enter the returns online.

    He however lamented that some corps producing institutions failed to comply till date.

    “Such delays constitute impediments to our efforts at providing accurate data on unclaimed certificates. I wish to, therefore, warn that we shall begin to invoke the penalty of withholding new Exemption Certificates for graduates of any institution that fails to return unclaimed ones,” he said.

    The DG also urged corps producing institutions on the sensitisation of prospective corps members (PCMs) against traveling at night when reporting to their States of Deployment.

    “This call has become necessary in view of recent incidents of kidnap and road accidents involving PCMs, all of which occurred due to night journeys.

    “It is, therefore, incumbent on every one of us to always contribute towards discouraging our young graduates from putting themselves in harm’s way. On our part, the NYSC management will continue to accord priority to the security and general welfare of Corps members,” he added.

    Director, Corps Mobilisation, Walida Siddiqque said there has been a reduction in the mobilisation of unqualified persons for national service.

    She attributed the reduction to innovations introduced and that have enhanced the level of collaboration with all stakeholders.

    She said: “However, a lot is still required to be done, as it has been observed that there is a growing trend of disparity between uploads by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs) and the information supplied by Prospective Corps Members during online registration.

    “Enhancing data integrity for a seamless mobilisation process will not just require new ideas, but also attitudinal change and the desire for thoroughness in data management. Permit me to reiterate that data is sacred, and any error or manipulation in its application will have negative ripple effects on the progress and development of the country in all its ramifications. It is in light of this that I wish to remind us of the importance of the responsibility which has been entrusted in our care.

    “I therefore urge you to be painstaking in your uploads and ensure that the information you transmit is the true reflection of the bio-data and academic profile of the prospective corps members concerned.”

  • NYSC DG urges employers to stop aiding Corps members’ abscondment

    NYSC DG urges employers to stop aiding Corps members’ abscondment

    Director General, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Yusha’u Ahmed, has cautioned employers of corps members against aiding and abetting their abscondment during the one year national service.

    The DG gave the warning yesterday in Awka, Anambra State during the 2023 edition of the NYSC Corps Employers Workshop aimed at receiving feedbacks from strategic stakeholders on strength, weaknesses and potential of the scheme.

    Ahmed, represented by Aluyor Osikhuemeh, identified delay in issuance of monthly/final clearance to deserving corps members and lack of provisions of their statutory welfare needs as other shortcomings of corps members’ employers that needed urgent attention.

    He also decried challenges of poor treatment as well as lack of support for community service development projects by corps members’ employers, expressing hope of such issues being addressed at the engagement.

    Read Also: NYSC DG to employers: Stop aiding corps members’ abscondment

    “We are also expected to review the roles of corps employers in achieving the objectives of the NYSC scheme, ways of addressing the security and welfare needs of corps members in their workplaces,” he added.

    Anambra State Coordinator, Mrs. Blessing Iruma, expressed joy over declining reduction in cases of rejection of corps members by employers in the state.

    She described corps members as highly productive, particularly when meaningfully engaged in an enabling environment.

    She said: “Percentage of rejection of corps members in Anambra has drastically reduced.

    This is as a result of regular meeting with the employers and other critical stakeholders to forge way forward.

    “Most youths are restless because they’re not meaningful engaged. But if you create a stable emotional atmosphere, these corps members can give you much more than you bargain.”

    Appreciating Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the N8,500 monthly stipend to corps members, Iruma called for upward review of the allowance in view of the prevalent economic situation.

    “The governor’s favourable disposition to issues concerning the scheme is a clear manifestation of his youths’ driven policies and his dogged determination to ensure the state continues to be the light of the nation.

    “Besides, the governor has been addressing the issues of brain drain, including recruitment of teachers and medical personnel. On our part, corps members have also been filling the gap.

    “But with the prevailing economic situation, N33,000 can barely take care of these basic needs. When someone isn’t settled, it affects the mind.

    “Our corps members have the energy, initiatives and capacity to adapt to working environment,” she said.

  • Exemplary!

    Exemplary!

    • Taraba government’s incentive for corps members is worthy of emulation

    To bolster its free and compulsory education policy, the Taraba State Government said it has approved substantial extra allowance for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to its schools. This, obviously, is to motivate them and shore up manpower provisioning in the vital sector.

    A statement early this week by Information and Reorientation Commissioner Zainab Usman said the extra allowance comprised ten thousand naira to be added to their monthly allowance, one-time payment of fifty thousand naira as medical allowance, and an accommodation allowance of twenty-five thousand naira per term, totaling seventy-five thousand naira for three school terms. The total payment for the service year sums to some two hundred and forty-five thousand naira. According to Usman, the state is as well offering automatic employment opportunity to “exceptional youth corps members who distinguish themselves while serving in schools.”

    The commissioner explained in the statement, Sunday, that the largess was an emergency response approved by State Governor Agbus Kefas to the surge in enrolment recorded in the state’s primary and secondary schools “over the past ten working days.” She added that besides promoting manpower provisioning, the state government would supply pupils with uniforms, shoes, socks and books by January 2024 to support them in their pursuit of education. “Schools that have reached their maximum capacity in terms of facilities will implement the shift system temporarily while additional buildings are provided to meet increasing demand. In the coming year, the state government will cover the examination fees for all SS3 students, enabling them to write both WAEC and NECO examinations. Exceptional students will be eligible for sponsorship and scholarships,” she further stated inter alia.

    Read Also: NYSC DG to employers: Stop aiding corps members’ abscondment

    By all reckoning, the surge in school enrolment occasioned by Taraba’s new policy on free and compulsory education is a good development deserving of applause. More so is the fact that in a national ecosystem where teaching as a career is denigrated and spurned by many who would rather seek opportunity in less noble but more rewarding careers, the Taraba government is providing incentives as could make teaching a preferred posting for corps members in the state. The added promise of automatic employment opportunity for exceptional corps members is a strong motivation to commitment and excellence on the part of the service youths. The beneficiaries will, however, not be just the corps members but also the education system in the state that will be positively impacted by the corps members’ drive for excellence. The commissioner was right when she said in her statement: “These measures reinforced Taraba State’s unwavering commitment to enhancing access to quality education, fostering youth development, and ensuring a brighter future for our children.”

    The initiative by the Taraba government is recommended for emulation by other state governments. In the modest economy of an average corps member, the extra allowances will make a huge positive difference. Meanwhile, it’s not that Taraba is one of the states challenged by the rage of insecurity in parts of the North, such that it could be argued that the slate of incentives is a booby trap to lure innocent youths to the theatre. Rather, the incentives could make the state into a destination of choice for prospective corps members, and its schools preferred places of primary assignment. If the added promise of automatic employment opportunity motivates them sufficiently unto a race for distinctive performance, a rub-on effect towards improved education standard in the state can be envisaged.

    But the Taraba government would not have done the state’s education system any good if the motivation is limited to only youth corps members and not extended to career teachers in the state. It will be self-defeating, for instance, if new recruits are lured into the teaching profession, only for these recruits to soon face cultural demotivating factors upon transiting from ad hoc service into the career proper. Besides, if career teachers are not happy with the job, youth corps members alone cannot guarantee high standard of education in the state. And so, the Kefas administration needs to ensure that career teachers are happy and motivated across board. That  is when a worthwhile investment could be said to have been made towards “enhancing access to quality education, fostering youth development, and ensuring a brighter future for our children,” as the commissioner stated.

  • NYSC DG to employers: Stop aiding corps members’ abscondment

    NYSC DG to employers: Stop aiding corps members’ abscondment

    Director General of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed, has cautioned employers of corps members against aiding and abetting their abscondment during the one-year national service.

    The DG gave the warning on Thursday, September 28, in Awka, Anambra state during the 2023 edition of the NYSC Corps Employers Workshop aimed at receiving feedback from strategic stakeholders on the strengths, weaknesses, and potentials of the Scheme.

    Ahmed, represented by Aluyor Osikhuemeh, identified delay in the issuance of monthly/final clearance to deserving Corps members and lack of provisions for their statutory welfare needs as other shortcomings of Corps members’ employers that needed urgent attention.

    He also decried challenges of poor treatment as well as lack of support for community service development projects by corps members’ employers, expressing hope of such issues being addressed at the engagement.

    Read Also: NYSC, students; CBN: Stop ‘Clean vs Dirty notes’ scam  

    He added: “We are also expected to review the roles of corps employers in achieving the objectives of the NYSC Scheme, ways of addressing the security and welfare needs of Corps Members in their workplaces.”

    Earlier, Anambra State Coordinator, Blessing Iruma expressed joy over the declining reduction in cases of rejection of corps members by employers in the state.

    She described corps members as highly productive, particularly when meaningfully engaged in an enabling environment.

    She said: “Percentage of rejection of corps members in Anambra has drastically reduced. This is a result of regular meetings with the employers and other critical stakeholders to forge a way forward.

    “Most youths are restless because they’re not meaningfully engaged. But if you create a stable emotional atmosphere, these corp members can give you much more than you bargain.”

    Appreciating Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the N8,500 monthly stipend to corps members, Iruma called for an upward review of the allowance in view of the prevalent economic situation.

    “The governor’s favourable disposition to issues concerning the scheme is a clear manifestation of his youth-driven policies and his dogged determination to ensure that the state continues to be the light of the nation.

    “Besides, the governor has been addressing the issues of brain drain, including recruitment of teachers and medical personnel. On our part, corps members have also been filling the gap.

    “But with the prevailing economic situation, 33,000 can barely take care of these basic needs. When someone isn’t settled, it affects the mind. Our corps members have the energy, initiative, and capacity to adapt to the working environment.”