NYSC plans quarterly orientation exercise

THE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is working towards conducting orientation course on quarterly basis from 2017 as part of measures to meet up with challenges posed by increasing corps population.

The Director-General Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi gave this hint at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Annual Management Conference (AMC) of the scheme in Asaba, Delta State.

He pointed out that the scheme, which started with a pioneer batch of 2,364 corps members in 1973, now mobilise around 260,000 corps members annually with the population expected to rise to 350,000 in no distant time.

In a statement, Olawumi said the scheme would forward detailed proposal and cost requirement of the planned quarterly orientation to the Federal Government for consideration.
Speaking on the theme of the 2016 AMC, “Strengthening the Operational Strategies of the NYSC Scheme for Effective Youth

Management”, the DG said it was apt as it would come up with strategies that would help address some of the challenges confronting the scheme to enable it achieve its objectives.

He used the occasion to appeal to states that do not have permanent orientation camps to expedite action on same stressing that the provision of camps was the statutory responsibility of state governments.

Olawumi also decried the rejection of corps members by some organizations, especially in the public sector.He said: “While the scheme appreciates the consistent co-operation of corps employers over the years, it further appeals that rather than reject corps members who actually are in national assignment, a budgetary provision should be made for them at the beginning of every year by both public and private organizations in the country.”

In his address, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, praised the NYSC for its contributions to the social, political, economic and cultural development of the country.

Okowa, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Festus Ovie Agas, said the scheme had added value to Delta state communities in the areas of education, agriculture, infrastructure, technology, youth empowerment and social services.

He also hailed the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers for its contributions to healthcare delivery in communities in the country.

He said: “It is important that the momentum of the various NYSC programmes be sustained so that communities will continue to enjoy the modest contributions of corps members.”

The Governor expressed the hope that the cross-fertilization of ideas that would take place during the AMC would lead to greater efficiency for the good of the scheme and the country as well as better management of the youths.
Okowa assured of continued support of his administration to the scheme.