The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has decried the poor state of infrastructure and operating conditions at its orientation camps in the country.
Director-General of the Scheme, Major-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, raised the alarm at the 2022 NYSC Annual Management Conference, on Wednesday in Abuja to deliberate on the state of the operating environment.
The theme of the conference is ‘Repositioning the NYSC for Improved Healthcare delivery, Revenue Generation and Corps Employment for Reliance.”
He blamed the poor state of affairs in the camps on the failure of some critical stakeholders to discharge their statutory responsibilities, especially in the States.
According to him, “Despite the achievements, the Scheme still faces some challenges. These arise mainly from the non-discharge of the statutory responsibilities of some critical stakeholders.
“Problems such as dilapidated orientation camp facilities, inadequate corps lodges and lack of befitting office accommodation are being contended within some States.”
Ibrahim also lamented that lack of start-up capital to corps entrepreneurs was already affecting their productivity, profitability, and hindering the continued survival of their businesses.
He, therefore, made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government and well-meaning Nigerians, asking that they support the establishment of the proposed NYSC Trust Fund to urgently address the situation as well as the Scheme’s infrastructural needs for enhanced operational efficiency.
In his remarks, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, said the government would encourage a sustained focus on developing NYSC members for entrepreneurship and self-reliance because it will contribute to the success of the Buhari administration’s economic agenda.
“I reaffirm the commitment of the Ministry to the actualization of the proposed NYSC Trust Fund. This is based on our firm belief that the Fund will enhance the operations of the Scheme, especially with regards to the training and empowerment of Corps members for self-employment and wealth creation,” he said.
In the same vein, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, said the FCTA will continue to partner with the NYSC for the successful implementation of its programmes and discharge its statutory obligation.
VANGUARD
