By Racheal Momoh
The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has received the newly appointed Director General (DG) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed.
While receiving the D-G today in his office in Abuja, Dare called on him to ensure the maintenance of culture, discipline and training among the Corp members.
He observed that NYSC which is the largest concentration of the nation’s youth serves as a beacon for them and thus needs concerted efforts by its management for the psychological, social and mental well-being of participants especially after living their various school environments and getting themselves prepared for wider challenges.
The Minister explained that President Muhammadu Buhari, taking cognisance of the role of Youth in the socio-economic development of the country and in a bid to ensure the realization of the goals of the founding fathers of the scheme, increased Corp members’ monthly allowances from N19,000 to N38,000.
“It takes a President that has the interest of the youth at heart, to invest in their development. That is why, there is increase in allowances of the NYSC from N19,000 to N38,000, far above the minimum wage”*, he said.
Dare added that in furtherance of plans to equip the youth for self-reliance and enterpreneurship, the National Youth Trust Fund project will in a few weeks’ time, be assented to by Mr. President and commended the Senate and House Committee members on Youth and Sports as well as the former Nigerian President, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) for their commitment to the realization of the fund and sustenance of the scheme.
The Minister who disclosed that the Scheme will be celebrating its 50 years Anniversary in May 2023, called on the new Director General to put in relentless effort towards ensuring the successful organization of the programme, urging him further not to only maintain the various initiatives, policies and programmes put in place by his predecessors but also ensure that he brings in his technical knowhow to help drive the scheme so as to meet up with contemporary realities.
Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar congratulated the new DG on his appointment and assured that the Ministry will continue to provide an enabling environment for the sustainability of the Scheme in line with dreams of its founding fathers.
Also speaking, the Director-General, NYSC, Brig. Gen. Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed said his visit was to afford him opportunity to officially introduce himself to the Minister, Permanent Secretary and top management staff of the ministry. He thanked President Buhari for finding him worthy of the appointment, promising that he would bring his wealth of experience to bear on the development of the Corps members as well as sustenance of the Scheme.
