Director-General National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig.- Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim has said the relevance of the scheme in the integration and national cohesion of the country cannot be underestimated.
He said the NYSC has been serving as a tool for the socio-economic development of the country through the deployment of corps members to states outside their states of origin, where they contribute their quota by making positive impacts in the lives of their host communities through the execution of different laudable projects.
A statement by the Deputy Director, Publications, Mr Emeka Mgbemena, said Ibrahim, who stated this on Thursday in his office in Abuja added that, “NYSC is germane and critical to the unity of the country.
“NYSC is not a waste of time, wherever Corps Members are posted to, they have been adding value in order to be remembered with good legacies”.
He said NYSC Management has partnered with the security agencies in the country in order to ensure adequate protection for corps members during the service year.
He added that corps members are always sensitised in camp on the need to be security conscious, not indulging in late night movements and other risky adventures like overnight travelling. He counselled the Corps Members and prospective Corps Members to break any journey that will take them beyond 6pm.
“Security is everybody’s business and security challenge is not limited to NYSC alone.
“We want to appeal to parents to help us also sensitise their children not to endanger their safety.
“Every country has challenges but we should turn our challenge into opportunities”, lbrahim said.
Speaking on youth empowerment, the Director-General said NYSC management in 2012 introduced Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme into Orientation Course Content which has enabled thousands of corps members to acquire vocational skills.
He stated further that the partnership between the Scheme and its stakeholders like the Bank of Industry, Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank among others, which offer soft loans to corps members have turned many of them to employers of labour and wealth creators today.
