No State Can Survive Without Corps Members, Says Minister
The Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has stated that no state government in Nigeria can function effectively without the contributions of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
Speaking at the Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on NYSC Reform in Abuja on Monday, Olawande described the scheme as a crucial instrument for grassroots development across the country.
He emphasised the need for the scheme, one of Nigeria’s oldest institutions at over 50 years, to evolve to meet contemporary challenges.
“The NYSC is a platform for unity, nation-building, and national development. It remains a key driver for grassroots progress. Corps members play a crucial role in education, health, agriculture, sports, and other sectors, and no state government can survive without their contributions,” Olawande said.
The minister also called for a review of the NYSC posting system to better align corps members with their academic and professional skills.
“Currently, many corps members are deployed to areas unrelated to their training, missing the opportunity to contribute fully and gain satisfaction from their service year,” he added.
Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, Director-General of the NYSC, highlighted the scheme’s expanding scope, noting that it now mobilises 400,000 graduates annually, with projections of over 600,000 by 2026.
He added that NYSC deployments save state governments between N30bn and N40bn each year and provide essential personnel, such as over 400 doctors annually to the FCT, and support for education sector crises in various states.
“The scheme’s importance today is even greater than when it was first introduced 52 years ago. It continues to grow in scope and impact,” Nafiu said.
In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the President, Policy and Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman, urged collaborative participation to ensure the success of the reforms, noting that “no reform of this scale can succeed without collective effort.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
