THE National Youth Service Corps [NYSC] scheme has been described as an institution of government for harnessing youths’ resourcefulness for national development.
Speaking on Thursday during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2018 Batch C stream I Corps members deployed to Bauchi state, Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar who was represented by the State Head of Civil Service, Liman Bello asserted that the NYSC scheme has over the years become a platform for nurturing and mentoring youths to be competent future leaders of the country.
The governor further said that ”This onerous task it has indeed discharged creditably well in the last 45 years to the admiration of Nigerians and the international community. Therefore, every Nigerian youth has always strongly desired to participate in the laudable programme which formally marks the commencement of their contribution to National Development.”
He added that ”Examples of areas where the scheme has excelled are in programmes such as the nationwide advocacy on HIV/AIDS, Sustainable Development Goals and other forms of health, educational, social and rural development initiatives. Indeed, the scheme has become a platform for the implementation of strategic policies of the government in all the nooks and crannies of our country.”
The Governor also expressed his administration’s commitment to the achievement of the lofty ideals of the scheme through the appropriate channelling of corps’ manpower to all areas of developmental needs in the state.
Also speaking, the state NYSC Coordinator, Mr Afolayan James explained that a total of 1,764 Corps members comprising 935 males and 829 females were so far registered adding that the orientation course was programmed to equip them mentally, physically and emotionally for the service year.
He, therefore, said that they are always encouraged to be part of the training programmes as the lessons learnt will be beneficial to them in the course of the service year and years ahead just as he advised the youths to contribute positively to their host communities during the service year.