Stakeholders’ belief that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) should play major role in the federal government economic diversification seems to be receiving attention, as its Director-General, Brigadier General, Shuaibu Ibrahim brought life back to the scheme’s farms. JOHN OBA reports.
The current state of the world oil sector, arising from coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown has once again shown that the federal government’s policy of diversification is long overdue. Though the talk of diversification has been a subject of discussion over the years, not much has been done by various institutions to ensure this comes to reality.
Though there have been various calls by stakeholders for the revenue-generating potentials of schemes like the National Youth Service Corps to be explored, much attention has not been paid to this call.
But that cannot be said about the NYSC under its current leadership, that in the last 12 months, has demonstrated that the scheme is in sync with the federal government on its diversification agenda.
A rich experience
In the 365 days he has spent in office, the NYSC boss has, in practical terms, validated the government focus on agriculture and solid minerals development as not only a major source of revenue generation but job creation with NYSC farms under the venture department. This has received great attention like other sectors.
Head-hunted from the fledgling Nigerian Army University, Biu, where he served as the pioneer Registrar, Ibrahim arrived the NYSC headquarters surefooted, with the demeanour of a man in a hurry to accomplish a mission.
Ibrahim’s confidence certainly was borne out of the fact that he landed on a familiar turf, having had a stint with the scheme over 20 years earlier as military assistant to a former chief executive of the scheme.
However, his second coming from the Army Education Corps was going to be more challenging as he was returning as the numero uno, on whose table the buck stops. But he was well prepared. His trajectory in the academia as a teacher, lecturer, researcher, author among others capped with the highly revered academic glory of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree and his versatile experience in administration resulting from his various postings in the military, made it possible for him to easily fit into his new role of managing an organisation whose main clients are vibrant graduate youths of institutions of higher learning.
With enviable academic laurels and vast experience in administration, General Ibrahim brought to the job an impressive profile that put him on good stead to steer the scheme to higher heights which exactly is what he has been doing.
According to a writer, Mr Emmanuel Obeni, the NYSC boss already had his job cut out before arriving the NYSC headquarters. The infrastructural deficits in many NYSC orientation camps, exponential explosion in corps population, paucity of funds and post- service unemployment, among others, were the myriad of challenges the new DG had to contend with. But then, he hit the ground running. Apparently, his knowledge of the inner workings of the scheme aided him to articulate his mission even before setting foot at Yakubu Gowon House, the National Directorate Headquarters of the NYSC.
‘Unfolding agenda’
On the day he took over the mantle of leadership, he unfolded his agenda which includes: sustained effective utilisation of the potentials of corps members for optimal benefit; pursue a technologically-driven organisation to deepen effective service delivery; improve on the welfare and security of corps members and staff; strengthen existing collaboration with stakeholders; and reinvigorate NYSC Ventures and Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme in line with the NYSC Act for greater impact.
In line with his administration’s goal to reinvigorate the NYSC Ventures and Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme for greater impact, the corps helmsman in the last one year, relentlessly pursued increased stakeholders’ involvement in the implementation of the programme through engagements with many of the scheme’s existing collaborating partners and potential ones, with stunning results.
Some of the gains include collaboration with Unity Bank on funding of business plan development programmes for corps members, partnership with British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) for empowerment of corps members with agricultural skill and business trainings, farm internship, mentoring and farm input supplies.
There is also a research-based collaboration with OAU-NACETEM sponsored by a Canadian Agency, International Development Research Centre which seeks to evaluate the impact of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED) in order to reinvigorate it for more efficacy.
Reviewing strategies
The implementation strategies of the programme have also been reviewed in conjunction with stakeholders and partners in a bid to enhance training and attract more funds.
General Ibrahim’s evidently fertile and positive imagination propelled him to recognise the imperative of seeking alternative ways of raising funds for the scheme’s operations, due to paucity of funds. At his behest, there has been accelerated upgrading and repositioning of NYSC Ventures initiatives to raise revenue.
Consequently, new tractors and implements have been purchased for the NYSC rice farm in Ezillo, Abakaliki for massive production and processing of rice at the NYSC rice mill located in the same area. A new rice mill has been established for the NYSC rice farm in Saminaka, Kebbi state. Equipment for the mill are presently being installed.
Similarly, the NYSC bakery and water factory at the FCT Orientation Camp, Kubwa have been resuscitated, and is currently supplying its products to consumers in the FCT and Nasarawa state.
These ventures are to be replicated in NYSC orientation camps across the country to serve the need of the camps and generate revenue for the scheme.
Confronting challenges
Speaking further, Obeni, said the first challenge the new DG had to confront was the issue of mobilisation of unqualified persons with fake or questionable degree certificates.
Having identified the sources of such certificates, for the first time in the history of the scheme, he promptly convened a meeting with the Registrars of some African Corps Producing Institutions which produced far reaching strategies to curb the trend. The result has been heartening as many illegal institutions, mostly in the West African sub region, where most of the phony certificates are procured, have been shut down. Also sixty-five fake corps members were apprehended during the 2019 Batch ‘B’ Stream Two Orientation Course and handed over to security agencies for prosecution.
Similarly, out of over 20,000 foreign – trained prospective corps members invited for the 2019 Batch ‘C’ mobilisation, only about three thousand three hundred and twenty-one appeared for the exercise. The rest who apparently had skeletons in their cupboards were scared of the new sheriff in town.
Novel approach
The novel trouble shooting approach employed by Ibrahim has led to a drastic reduction in cases of unqualified and fake corps members in the scheme. The NYSC boss sternly warned people with intention of compromising the integrity of the mobilisation process to desist as they will certainly be caught and made to face the consequences asserting: “Under my watch, no unqualified person will be allowed to participate in the NYSC.”
With his profound intellect and knowledge, Ibrahim was quick to decipher that improving the fortunes of the NYSC is predicated largely on getting stakeholders to be alive to their statutory responsibilities to the scheme, as they cannot do so if they are ignorant of such obligations.
It was in this regard that Ibrahim embarked on a nationwide sensitisation on the provisions of the NYSC Act. He convoked a meeting with representatives of state governments and the FCT administration to enlighten them on the roles and responsibilities of the various arms of government to the scheme as enshrined in the NYSC Act.
In the same vein, he sought and secured audience with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum during which he impressed on them the need for the states to discharge their statutory responsibilities towards the scheme, in line with provisions of the Act. These include provision of befitting orientation camps and maintenance of same, accommodation for corps members, office accommodation for area offices and state secretariats, release of state subvention, security of corps members and support for the scheme’s community development service.
Suffice it to say that these roles are complementary to those of the federal government which bears the heaviest cost of running the scheme.
