The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, has vowed to protect the integrity of the scheme despite the notable challenges being observed in some parts of the country.
The DG made the vow during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Orientation Course Workshop of the NYSC held on Wednesday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
Speaking on the theme, “Maintaining the Integrity of the Orientation Course in the Face of Competing Interests”, Nafiu said that despite the numerous challenges of the operating environment, the scheme had continued to execute orientation exercises successfully across the nation.
He explained that the Pre-Orientation Course workshop serves as a platform for the management of NYSC and other key stakeholders in the orientation activities to review the previous orientation course with a view to improving its operations for future sessions.
Nafiu said, “The periodic conduct of this workshop is borne out of the NYSC management’s determination to ensure the continuous improvement of the orientation course content with a view to equipping the corps members adequately for the enormous task of nation building.
“I believe the timeliness and relevance of this theme cannot be overstated. It reminds us of our shared responsibility to shield the orientation programme from negative influences while enhancing its positive impact on our corps members and the nation as a whole.
“The orientation course must continue to serve as a platform for instilling discipline, patriotism, and unity values that are non-negotiable in nation-building, amid distractions and competing interests.”
The NYSC Director General further reaffirmed the determination of the scheme to work closely with critical partners and other stakeholders on the conduct of the orientation course and other aspects of its operations in order to continue to add value to the lives of young citizens of the country.
While expressing his gratitude to the Nasarawa State Government for its numerous supports to Corps members in the state, Nafiu thanked the Federal Government for its youth-friendly policies and sustained support, especially through the prompt release of funds for the smooth operations of the scheme.
The DG further urged the participants at the workshop to share relevant ideas and experiences that could assist the NYSC’s management in the seamless execution of the forthcoming Batch B orientation courses.
On his part, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, the Special Guest of Honour, declared the workshop open, stating that the National Youth Service Corps, since its inception in 1973 under the visionary leadership of General Yakubu Gowon, had played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s development.
Sule, represented by his deputy, Emmanuel Akabe, who is currently the Acting Governor of the state, noted that the scheme’s commendable efforts in community development, healthcare services, public policy awareness, educational interventions, and participation in national exercises such as elections and census had earned accolades both domestically and internationally.
“The NYSC is more than just a program; it is a cornerstone of our collective aspirations, supported by all stakeholders. It is crucial that we continue to provide unwavering support to the scheme, building upon its myriad achievements across all sectors of national economic development,” he added.
In her remark, the Nasarawa State Coordinator of the NYSC, Salamatu Muhammad, while expressing her gratitude to stakeholders and participants from across the country for attending the workshop despite their busy schedules, urged them to be innovative in sharing ideas that could help to improve the activities of the scheme.
