By AbdulRaheem Aodu
Kaduna
President of Sierra Leone, Mr Ernest Bai Karoma said on Wednesday in Kaduna that elections are key to address and curb instability in African continent.
Speaking against the backdrop of sit-tight dictators and gun happy military men pervading the leadership of many African countries, the Sierra Leone President, who was fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the facility tour of permanent orientation camp, km 16, Kaduna-Abuja express way, Kaduna said elections in Africa will be more fair and credible when independent corps like members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are taking part without any ethnic interest or affiliation, saying success will be the ultimate outcome.
“It’s structure has evolved into national unity. I’m aware that, corps members are involved in elections and national census, that is great achievement. Elections are the keys to instability in this continent.
Whether we have the elections or not because some don’t have them and that may lead to too many problems.
“But when you can have independent corps taking part without any ethnic interest of affiliation, definitely success will be the ultimate outcome,” Karoma, who was represented by his Advisor on Youth, Dr. Sheikhu Kamara added.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brig-Gen Suleiman Kazaure had on Tuesday promised the Sierra Leonean study team of federal government’s support on growth and sustenance of the one-year-old Sierra-Leone National Youth Service Scheme.
Speaking on the assessment tour Dr. Kamara confessed that before the team came, it has researched a lot and have not been disappointed at all with all they have seen and heard, “everything we read about NYSC; we have learnt a lot about the organizational structure of NYSC, activities of collaborating agencies like the army, police, NSCDC, DSS, Man O’ War and CSOs. So, we are very impressed by all we have seen here.
“We have noted the readiness on the part of the scheme and mobilized corps members as 67 percent of them have already registered within few hours. Ours is not totally structured yet but the key thing we have learnt is amazing. The incorporation of social structure that is, separating male hostels from female ones, religion structure. We have learnt how federal and state governments play their expected separate roles to make the scheme work.”
On why the choice of Nigeria he said, “when we researched, we found Nigeria at the top of the table. Nigerian youth service corps was established more than four decades now and one of the oldest in the continent for that matter.
NYSC Kaduna state Coordinator, Malam Bello Balama said, the choice of Nigerian and Kaduna camp for the study visit by the Sierra Leone team was not unconnected to efforts by the federal, state and NYSC management over the years to have best youth organization not only in Africa but the world at large.
The coordinator expressed optimism that, Nigeria remains a leading country in African continent in terms of human and economic development, while calling on all the collaborating partners to improve on the scheme’s programmes as there will always be room for improvement. Key areas visited during the case study tour include quarter guard, camp mini clinic, hostels, kitchen, parade ground, worship centres, man o’ war drill among others.
