Vote of Confidence in NYSC Management…
The Nigerian College of Bishops and Imams has requested an urgent assent to the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund Bill, which is still before President Muhammadu Buhari for his signature.
According to the clerics who bore their minds in Abuja, an urgent assent to the bill will lead to better opportunities for Nigerian youths.
Reverend Solomon Semaka, speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja, said the NYSC Trust Fund is one of the few bills passed by the national assembly that received the most public support.
“This widespread support for the bill demonstrates the trust fund’s acceptability.” Again, no single federal government agency has shaped the future of our youth like the NYSC with limited resources. The Trust Fund comes in handy to consolidate the scheme’s founding mandate, which is driven by the foresight of successive director generals. For all intents and purposes, this is a bill that grants all Nigerians the opportunity to learn a skill once they complete the scheme. No surprise, the bill has received widespread support until recently, when the nation’s enemies launched a barrage of negative propaganda.
“It has come to public attention that those who refuse to acknowledge the modest legacies this administration is leaving in various sectors of Nigerian society, particularly in the area of youth development, have deemed it fit to attack and bring into disrepute the impeccable image of the National Youth Service Corps” (NYSC). Needless to say, you are all ex-corps members or aspiring corps members who have witnessed how organised and efficient the scheme has become in recent years. Anyone attempting to smear the scheme’s image is malicious and should not be taken seriously.
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“The baseless allegations purportedly linking Brigadier General Mohammed Fadah, the current Director General of NYSC, with Senate President and labelling him a stooge are extremely unfortunate.” Given the new DG’s commitment to maintaining the numerous policies in place at NYSC, this bare-faced assault on the new director general can only be described as normal and expected. To further imply that the NYSC Trust Funds, if approved by Mr. President, will end up in people’s pockets is the most ridiculous and untrue comment any true patriot can make. It is very unfortunate to make such unfounded claims and allegations about an institution that has been in operation for more than four decades without any verified financial scandal and is known for timely mobilisation and payment of corps members allowances and general welfare. Because of the ingenuity and commitment of successive managements, the scheme has recently remitted billions of naira to the federal government coffers. Attempting to sow discord in order to derail presidential approval of the NYSC Trust Fund bill will fail because the facts are clear. Sincere Nigerians with a heart for the country mobilised and supported the Trust Fund bill in the national assembly. The masses did, in fact, win with the passage of the bill now awaiting Mr. President’s signature. Any dissenting viewpoint at this point is a worthwhile distraction.
“The NYSC scheme has done marvellously well in adopting the noble idea of a Trust Fund to enable the scheme to respond adequately to the challenges of youth unemployment through skill acquisition and empowerment.” Given the importance of the Trust Fund to national development, governments at all levels, Civil Society Organizations, and all stakeholders support and encourage this initiative. Any attempt to undermine this noble legacy will fail because it is a national legacy that will benefit future generations of Nigerians.
“Gentlemen of the press, it is important at this juncture to commend the National Assembly, Civil Society Organizations, Student Bodies, all stakeholders, and Nigerians for painstakingly carrying out due diligence on the NYSC Trust Fund bill to ensure that there are no stumbling blocks to its swift passage and assent by Mr President.”
Attempting to spread falsehood on a public interest bill such as the NYSC Trust Fund, given the monumental impact it will have on youths and the country at large, is uncharitable and a disservice to one’s fatherland.
“The NYSC management, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, has worked tirelessly to make this bill a reality.” The legal framework for the fund is well tailored to achieve the scheme’s objectives. Stakeholders and partners must work together to ensure funding. The NYSC Trust Fund’s default framework protects it from corruption. As the conscience of the nation, we commend the NYSC management for their foresight and conviction in pushing this critical bill through. We also applaud Mr. President for being youth-friendly and sensitive to Nigerians’ plight. “We must therefore not relent in urging him to quickly give his assent to this very important bill so that youth unemployment will be a thing of the past in no distant time,” they said.
