The Director of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Y.D Ahmed, has called for support from the 774 Local Government chairmen across Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, Ahmed’s appeal aims to bolster the achievements of the NYSC, which heavily relies on the active engagement of key stakeholders.
Addressing the National Executive Council Meeting of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in Lafia, Ahmed emphasised the importance of local government involvement in the NYSC.
He highlighted that the scheme’s success hinges on effective stakeholder participation as outlined in the NYSC Act Cap N84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The statement partly reads, “General Ahmed stated further that the role of Local Governments is critical to the smooth operations of the NYSC because the majority of Corps Members posted to serve in the rural areas support developmental strides, especially through their Primary Assignments in schools, Primary Healthcare Centres and other aspects of the national economy.
“The Director General informed the Council Chairmen that while the Federal Government shoulders a greater part of the responsibility of running the Scheme, the enabling Act saddles States and Local Governments with complimentary responsibilities which include the provision of facilities like; Orientation Camps, Corps Transit Lodge, Corps Lodges, Office Accommodation and other forms of intervention that are essential for the welfare of Corps Members and the general success of the Scheme.
“Permit me at this juncture to highlight some of the key issues that require your attention such as; the formation of NYSC Local Government Committees. Section 8 Sub-Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the NYSC Act provides for the establishment, composition, and functions of the NYSC Local Government Committee in each of the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. However, the committees have not been in existence in many of the Local Government Areas over the years.
“Therefore, to ensure smooth operations of the Scheme at the grassroots, the committees need to be put in place and empowered with the necessary resources to enable them to function effectively. I, therefore, appeal to those of you that do not have the committees to establish and make them functional”, he said.
To ensure the smooth functioning of the NYSC at the grassroots level, Ahmed urged those without committees to establish and empower them with the necessary resources.
He also discussed the role of local governments in ensuring the safety of Corps Members, as mandated by Section 8 Sub-Section 3 (d) of the NYSC Act. He asked the Chairmen to leverage their positions to enlist support from traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community heads to complement security efforts.
Additionally, Ahmed recommended that local government authorities hosting NYSC Orientation Camps enhance local security measures to safeguard these facilities.
He also pointed out that the conditions of some NYSC Zonal and Local Government offices are substandard, impacting the effectiveness of the scheme’s operations.
He thanked those Local Governments that have provided adequate office spaces and appealed to others to follow suit.
Other areas of concern include transportation for Corps Inspection and support for Community Development Service Projects.
National President of ALGON, Mu’azu Maifata, commended the NYSC for its achievements over the past fifty-one years and assured that the Director General’s requests would be considered.