FG set to redesign scope of NYSC to cater for life after service – Minister

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has disclosed that the federal government and the ministry are working to redesign the scope of NYSC.

This, according to him, would go a long way in addressing the current realities being faced in the country.

The minister, who stated this during his visit to the Niger state NYSC orientation camp in Paikoro local government area, said that the current scope of NYSC did not put into consideration what happens to Corps members after the service.

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He said: “Very soon, we will work with the Governor, the Federal Government, and the Ministry of Youth Development to make sure we redesign the scope of NYSC. We need to change the narrative now that we have someone who listens to us. We need to address the question of after camp, where are we going to? So now, it is time to talk and do.

He urged the youths to think out of the box and prioritize acquiring skills that would help them to be able to cope after NYSC.

“As a youth, this is our time to think, the President has given us the platform, it is now left for us to make use of the platform.

“Youth should take part and change the narrative, as corps members, you should take the skills acquisition programmes training with seriousness to acquire skills to better your lives.”

He assured the corps members of the federal government’s readiness to create opportunities for youth engagement across the nooks and crannies of the country.

The Niger state NYSC coordinator, Mrs Abdulwahab Olayinka lamented that the camp has several challenges which include inadequate hostel accommodation for corps members and camp officials, fast engulfing erosion and running water around the camp environment, fallen parts of perimeter fence making the camp porous and inadequate toilet and bathroom facilities.

She said that there were 1,912 corps members registered in camps which include those deployed to Niger and those dislodged from FCT.