Says scheme responsible for many marriages in Nigeria
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC), Brig. Gen Shu’aibu Ibrahim, has described corps members as part of the National Defence Policy, who can be mobilised for war should the situation warrant it.
The NYSC Director-General stated this on a television programme on Wednesday.
The NYSC scheme is a one-year mandatory programme for graduates below 30 years of age. It was established to foster unity in the country, as participants are ideally taken sent to serve the country outside their States.
He said the NYSC is concerned about the security of corps members and that is why they had been advised not to move around at night.
The NYSC boss said corps members had played a huge role in educating children in Internally Displaced Persons, (IDP)’s camps.
Ibrahim maintained that the insecurity in the country was not enough reason to scrap the scheme, adding that till date, 75 percent of corps members are still serving in rural areas across the country.
He added that he had proposed a National Youth Trust Fund through which loans would be given to corps members to start businesses after completing the mandatory programme.
He described the scheme as more relevant now given the calls for secession by various groups in the country.
Ibrahim further said the scheme had been able to foster national unity and cohesion, adding that many corps members had found love in the various orientation camps and married.
