Due to the recent unrests in some of local government areas of Kaduna state and the need to protect lives and property of members of National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ), the scheme said on Wednesday that, it has suspended posting Corps members to such areas.
This is also as the scheme said, it had withdrawn all corps members serving in Kajuru local government area of the state following the recent crisis at Kasuwan Magani area of the local government.
NYSC Coordinator in the State, Dahunsi Mohammed who stated this during an interactive session with corps employers in Kaduna State said, there would not be posting of corps members to such areas until it is crystal clear that the areas are save for young Nigerian graduates who are deployed to serve the motherland.
He mentioned specifically that the step is affecting Birnin-Gwari, Kajuru and any other volatile areas where there is crisis.
According to him, “We are sorry we did not post corps members to places we know there is crisis. We stopped posting corps members to Birnin-Gwari and we have also withdrew all corps members serving at Kasuwa Magani where crisis recently broke out. This will continue untill normalcy returns to these areas and other places where we have social unrest”.
On the workshop of the NYSC/Corps Employers with the theme: Tackling Emerging Challenges in Youth Corps Administration Through Greater NYSC/ Stakeholders Participation the Coordinator said, rejection of Corps members is an obstacle militating against achieving assigned and expected duties in achieving a defined goal.
He said Corps members spend the largest chuck of their service year with their employers, hence the need for the employers make of them that will be etched in their memory of NYSC.
“As long as posting are done without strict compliance with Corps employers request, the challenge of Corps rejection will persist.
He added that rejection of Corps members, underutilization and evasion of service can also lead to Dearth of graduates in areas of specialisation such as engineering, technology, medical sciences, ICT etc.
“That can drive the country’s developmental agenda. What obtains is a glut of graduates in the humanities and the arts which a country striving for technological development like Nigeria barely needs.
“The effect of this is too many Corps graduates of arts and humanities chasing fewer placement for primary assignment which automatically leads to rejection.
He alighted under-utilization of Corps members as a factor slowing down the level of development of the country, “for example if a Corps doctor, engineer, teacher or any other professional finds himself posted to where there are no facilities to work with, invariably such a Corp member will be underutilized.
Mohammed said the NYSC has devise strategies to counter these challenges by organizing a forum where management and Corps employers rub minds on best practices to optimally utilised the skills of Corps members to check sharp practices.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director General of the scheme, Brig -gen Suleiman Kazaure who was represented by Hajia Aisha Mohammed said, the NYSC has the tradition of organizing round table discussion with stakeholders especially with Corps employers with the aim of strengthening mutual capacity for the effective engagement of Corps members.
“The Corps employers workshop is not only to appreciate the enduring partnership between the scheme and the employers but to also identify challenges in Corps administration and proffer solutions.
“We have also been undertaking advocacies to ensure that States and local government provide lodges for Corps member so they settle down in good time”.
Also speaking the Kaduna State Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Culture Daniel Danauta commended the NYSC for reviving the interactive session with the view of addressing challenges.
Source:The Nation