Mohammed Shosanya
The Director General, National Youth Service Corps Brig. Gen. Dogara Ahmed has said that the NYSC Mobilises an average of 350,000 Corps members annually in the promotion of national unity.
Brig. Gen. Ahmed stated this while delivery a lecture titled: “Harnessing The Potentials of the Nigerian Youths for National Unity and Development”, at the 5th convocation lecture of the Edo State University, Uzairue.
The director general,who was represented by Ladan Baba, director South South zone, said, the scheme , being the largest youth organization in Africa, has given the participants the much needed exposure and opportunity for deeper appreciation and understanding of the nation’s diversity.
The NYSC, he said, was established as a deliberate Public policy to ensure the realization of the government post-war strategy of Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (RRR)
According to him, the NYSC is a significant step towards youth engagement, mandating qualified graduates of universities and other tertiary institutions to participate in a one year service programme to foster national unity and providing opportunity for the youth to contribute to community development.
“The NYSC has created an opportunity for establishing life-long relationships among the youth as a lot has also been achieved in the area of cultural integration.
“The scheme has the objective of developing common ties among the youths and promoting national unity by ensuring they are assigned to jobs in states other than their state of origin with the intent of removing prejudice and eliminating ignorant among the young graduates”.
The DG added that the objectives of the scheme was to inculcate discipline in Nigeria youth by instilling in them a tradition of industry at work and of patriotic and loyal service to Nigeria in any situation they may find themselves.
It is also to raise the moral tone of the Nigeria youth by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievements, social and cultural improvement and to develop in the Nigeria youth the attitude of mind acquired through shared experience and suitable training which will make them more amenable to mobilization in the national interest.
“To achieve this objectives, the service corps shall ensure equitable distribution of members of the service corps and effective utilization of skills in areas of national needs such as the corp members are assigned to work together in state other than state of origin”.
On the education sectors, he said the NYSC has contributed to the development of education with corps members serving as teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary schools as they are mostly posted to secondary schools where they constitute the major manpower especially in the rural communities.
The corp members are also being involved in the areas of health sector, agriculture, NYSC Ventures, general elections, national census, skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development, he said.
The DG said that notwithstanding the numerous achievements, the scheme still faced some challenges such as inadequacy of orientation camp facilities; poor infrastructure in various formations; submission of wrong data on graduates, poor quality of graduates being presented for mobilization and deployment and relocation racketeering among others.
He implored the state governments to live up to their statutory responsibilities to the scheme in the provision, maintenance and upgrading of camp facilities.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Emmanuel Aluyor, commended the Pro-Chancellor, Prof Emeritus Thomas Okpo K. Audu who he said contributed immensely to the success story of the university.
He also thanked the NYSC DG for the 5th convocation lecture, titled “Harnessing the Potential of Youth for National Unity and Development”, describing it as a clarion call, and earnest plea to acknowledge the immense capabilities residing within the youth and the role they play in shaping the future of Nigeria.
Congratulating the graduating students, the VC said they should take a leap of faith, believe in themselves, abilities and dreams, noting that the belief will propelled them forward, allowing them to surmount obstacles and reach for stars.
“Achievement is not a destination; it is a continuous journey, it requires dedication, hard work and an unwavering commitment to excellence’, he advised.
The Pro-Chancellor, Prof Emeritus Thomas Okpo K Audu thanked the state governor Mr Godwin Obaseki for his support in ensuring that the university continues to make giant strides.
