The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, has revealed that the Scheme delivers services valued at over N14 billion annually to Lagos State and its residents.
According to him, these services are rendered by about 44,000 corps members posted across the state in different fields.
Nafiu made this known during a courtesy visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos State Government House, Marina. The disclosure was contained in a statement issued by the NYSC’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, on Friday.
“The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has disclosed that NYSC provides services for the government and people of Lagos State worth over 14 billion naira annually.
“General Nafiu was quantifying, in minimum monetary value, the contributions of the over 44,000 Corps Members deployed to the length and breadth of the State in various capacities, including 333 medical doctors, 306 pharmacists, 274 nurses, and 7,188 teachers.
Nafiu said Lagos was the number one destination for corps members, noting that their parents were also comfortable with it, citing the relative security of the state,” the statement partly read.
The NYSC DG commended Sanwo-Olu for the renovation of the temporary camp in Iyana-Ipaja and acknowledged the ongoing work at the 10,000-capacity Permanent Orientation Camp. He said the Scheme anticipated its completion so corps members could camp in one location rather than being moved to neighbouring states.
He further appealed for the provision of an ambulance for the NYSC Secretariat and urged the governor to continue supporting the Scheme.
“The DG requested that the secretariat be provided with an ambulance and urged him to sustain the other areas of support for the Scheme, which he said gave much-needed operational support to the State formation.
“General Nafiu also congratulated the Governor on the remodelled National Theatre, noting that it was a national monument of repute,” the statement added.
The NYSC, established in 1973 under General Yakubu Gowon, was designed to foster unity after the civil war. It remains a compulsory one-year programme for Nigerian graduates, involving orientation, primary assignment, community development service, and the passing-out ceremony.
Advertisement
