According to one of the suggestions made at its top management retreat in Niger State, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) can consider deploying corps members to the 16 member states of the Economic Community of West African States Corps.
Prof Oka Obono, a lecturer at the University of Ibadan in Oyo State, proposed the idea to the NYSC top management during a retreat in Suleja. His lecture was titled “Strategies for Sustaining the NYSC in a Changing World.”
According to Obono, the benefits of Nigerian corps members deployed throughout the West African sub-region include a significant reduction in youth unemployment as well as regional visibility.
He advocated that all stakeholders should embrace expansion strategies that would be of benefit to the youths.
Prof Obono told the NYSC management, “Expand operations to the West African region, thereby reducing internal graduate unemployment and pressures on the Nigerian labor market.”
The don praised the NYSC Director-General, Brig Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, for his leadership style after taking office as the 18th DG of NYSC.
He also suggested that all stakeholders use a high degree of diplomacy and activism to positively engage the unlearned youths who pose a threat to social peace and growth.
The NYSC DG, Ibrahim, in his remarks, said that the retreat was a platform for the scheme’s appraisal of its operations by the top management.
According to a press release obtained by SaharaReporters from the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, the agency will consider the suggestion.
The DG added that the retreat would also help to formulate new strategies to guide its operations in a changing world.
“We will intensify more on our proactive disposition to official engagements to move the Scheme Forward”, Ibrahim added.
