NYSC seeks private support for sports, culture festival

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called for increased private sector support for its annual sports and cultural festival.

It said that the level of involvement in the sponsorship still falls below expectations.

The Director-General, NYSC,  Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the 2019 NYSC Annual Sports and Cultural Festival in Abuja.

He noted that paucity of funds has led to the Corps’ inability to stage the festival in the past two years.

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His words: “I wish to express our profound gratitude to the various organisations in the public and private sectors, who have contributed towards the successful organisation of this festival through sponsorship and technical support.

“However, I am constrained to add that the level of private sector involvement in the sponsorship still falls below our expectations. This, coupled with the paucity of funds, accounted for our inability to stage the festival in the past two years.

“I, therefore, appeal for increased private sector support for the festival for the benefit of our youths and the entire nation.”

While speaking on the aims and objective of the festival, he explained that it was introduced 35 years ago to showcase the talents of corps members in sports and culture and a platform for promotion of national unity and integration.

“In initiating this festival a few decades ago, the NYSC sought to provide an avenue for further interaction among corps members of diverse backgrounds in addition to contributing towards the development of the sports sector,” he added.