DG blames dwindling resources in NYSC on increase of corps members

Suleiman Kazaure, the director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has blamed the dwindling resources in the scheme to rising population of corps members.

Kazaure disclosed this at the opening of the scheme’s Annual Management Conference in Jos on Tuesday.

The theme of the conference was: “Enhancing the Operations of NYSC through Strategic Planning”.

The director-general expressed regret that the existing orientation camp facilities had been over stretched due to increased population of corps members.

He decried the failure of some state and local governments to meet up with their statutory obligations to the scheme.

Kazaure, therefore, urged them to be alive to their responsibilities to the scheme.

He lauded the state and local governments that have shown commitment to the success of the scheme through the upgrade of orientation camp facilities and other forms of support.

According to him, the scheme recently resuscitated the once moribund NYSC farm settlements in Bauchi, Kebbi, and Oyo states as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

He disclosed that the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development centres in Gombe and Ekiti states were nearing completion, while the one in the South-South state of Delta was already functional.

Kazaure stated that the scheme is now fully computerized and has already begun biometric registration and clearance of corps members toward enhancing its operational efficiency.

He said that the conference provided an venue for stakeholders to meet and review the implementation  of the scheme with a view to evolving new policy direction, if necessary, for improved service delivery.

“As we gather here today, participants are poised to evolve more cohesive and clearer strategies for administration and management of resources, especially against the backdrop of the country’s current economic realities.

“The focus of the conference is for brainstorming and coming up with practicable solutions and strategies that will reposition and promote the ideals of the scheme in both the present and future,” he said.

In a message to the conference, Simon Lalong, the Plateau state governor, represented by his deputy, Sonni Tyoden, praised the director-general for the ongoing reforms in the scheme.

Lalong expressed satisfaction with the contribution of the scheme, especially in rural areas, in terms of education, health, agriculture through the corps members Community Development Programmes.

NAN reports that the three-day conference organized for top managers of the scheme, state coordinators and deputy directors will end on September 29th.