By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has called for public support for the approval of the proposed NYSC Trust Fund to strengthen youth empowerment and expand entrepreneurship opportunities for Corps Members.
Speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja as the Scheme marked its 53rd anniversary, Nafiu said the Trust Fund would enable the NYSC to broaden the scope of its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
According to him, the fund would provide start-up capital for Corps Members to establish businesses, enhance venture services, and increase job creation among Nigerian youths.
He noted that the initiative would also help curb youth restiveness by engaging graduates in productive ventures capable of reducing unemployment, idleness, and social vices.
The Director-General said the NYSC had remained committed to its mandate of promoting national unity, integration, and socio-economic development since its establishment by the administration of former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, after the Nigerian Civil War.
Nafiu stated that the Scheme had contributed significantly to national cohesion through inter-tribal marriages, cultural integration, and the deployment of Corps Members to states outside their places of origin.
He added that lasting friendships and relationships built through the programme had strengthened national unity over the years.
The NYSC boss also highlighted several technological improvements introduced by the Scheme, including electronic identity cards, digital record-keeping, online camp registration, and information dissemination through social media platforms.
On the SAED programme, Nafiu explained that the initiative was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s informal sector by equipping Corps Members with entrepreneurial and vocational skills.
He revealed that the programme, introduced in 2012, had continued to evolve, citing the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University.
According to him, more than 500,000 Corps Members have registered businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission through the initiative.
The Director-General reiterated the Scheme’s commitment to seamless online registration for prospective Corps Members while noting that accommodation capacity remains a key factor in determining the number of Corps Members deployed to orientation camps nationwide.
He commended the governments of Enugu State and Osun State for renovating their orientation camps and disclosed that Lagos State is constructing a new orientation camp to improve the welfare of Corps Members.
Nafiu stressed that state governments are expected under the NYSC Act to provide and maintain conducive orientation camp facilities, while local government councils are responsible for providing Corps lodges.
He also appealed to Student Affairs Officers in Corps-producing institutions to submit names of qualified graduates promptly to avoid delays in mobilization.
The NYSC DG further disclosed that the Scheme is prepared to comply with the Federal Government’s Nigeria Education Repository Databank (NERD) policy aimed at maintaining records of Nigerian graduates.
On security, Nafiu advised Corps Members to adhere strictly to the Scheme’s travel and safety advisories, including avoiding night journeys and risky movements.
He added that the NYSC has partnered with security agencies to ensure the safety of Corps Members travelling to orientation camps across the country.
The Director-General also stated that all Corps Members are covered by the National Health Insurance Authority health insurance package, which provides free medical care throughout the service year.
He noted that NYSC ventures such as farms, bread and water factories, garment factories, and other enterprise initiatives not only provide vocational training but also generate revenue for the Scheme.
Nafiu added that the NYSC has continued to sensitise Corps Members on the responsible use of social media by encouraging positive and lawful online engagement.
