NYSC DG Expresses Concern Over Poor Quality Graduates Mobilized for Youth Service

• The NYSC DG expresses concerns over challenges, including mobilizing poor-quality graduates, relocation racketeering, and inadequate facilities in the NYSC scheme
• He calls on state governments to fulfill their responsibilities in maintaining and upgrading camp facilities and highlights the NYSC’s contributions to various sectors

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Dogara Ahmed, has voiced concerns over several challenges affecting the NYSC scheme, including the mobilization of poor-quality graduates, racketeering in corps members’ relocations, inadequate facilities, and the submission of incorrect data on graduates.

During a lecture titled ‘Harnessing the Potential of the Nigerian Youths for National Unity and Development’ at the 5th convocation lecture of Edo State University, Uzairue, the NYSC DG addressed these challenges. He was represented by Ladan Baba, the NYSC Director for the South-South Zone.

The NYSC DG mentioned that the NYSC annually mobilizes an average of 350,000 corps members, aiming to promote national unity and development. Despite the scheme’s achievements, it faces various challenges, including the inadequacy of orientation camp facilities, poor infrastructure, submission of incorrect graduate data, the mobilization of poor-quality graduates, relocation racketeering among corps members, and other issues.

The NYSC DG called on state governments to fulfill their statutory responsibilities by providing, maintaining, and upgrading camp facilities within their jurisdictions. He emphasized that the NYSC has made significant contributions to the education sector, with corps members serving as teachers in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, particularly in rural communities. They have also been involved in various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, NYSC ventures, general elections, national census, skill acquisition, and entrepreneurship development.

The NYSC scheme was established as a deliberate public policy to support the government’s post-war strategy of Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation (RRR). Its objectives include instilling discipline, a strong work ethic, patriotism, and loyalty to Nigeria among the country’s youth, regardless of the circumstances they may encounter.