NYSC Director-General’s Message to the 2017 Batch ‘A’ (Stream One) Corps Members

My Dear Compatriots in National Service,

It gives me an immense pleasure to address you as you come on board the ship of nation building which shall sail for the next twelve months.

Indeed, this is another phase in your life, a rare opportunity for self-development and actualization, as well as a contribution to national development on the platform of selfless service. As you join the elite vanguard in pursuit of a united, virile, egalitarian and economically prosperous Nation, I charge you to approach this task with the highest degree of fervour, patriotism, service and humility – the motto of the forty – four year old Service Corps that has become a household name in the country.

My dear virile corps members, your coming this far in life, culminating in your membership of the Service Scheme has not been by accident, but through a deliberate course of action, anchored on discipline, diligence and resilience. The aggregate of which ensured your success in the various qualifying examinations which gave you the ticket to be in the NYSC Orientation camp now, for which I extend hearty congratulations.

I implore you to reflect these virtues in all the tasks that shall be assigned you during the Orientation course and the rest of the Service Year.

As it were, the National Youth Service Corps has four cardinal programmes which every member must successfully pass through to qualify for demobilization at the end of twelve months.

The first is Orientation course, followed by Primary Assignment; Community Development Service, also known as Secondary Assignment and the last, but not the least, Winding Up / Passing – Out Ceremony.

As the name connotes, Orientation course which ushers you into the Service Year is designed to equip you adequately for the challenges that lie within and ahead of the Service. It involves training in physical fitness and mental alertness, lectures, social and sporting activities such as Dance, Drama, Variety Night, inter – platoon Football and Volley competitions, as well as cooking competition, among others.

My dear patriotic corps members, the National Youth Service Corps in the last few years recorded a great paradigm shift in its Orientation course contents, tailoring them to the prevailing economic realities, being a responsive, responsible and result – oriented Agency. The shrinkage of white collar jobs in the country which necessitated an army of unemployed and restive youth in search of scarcely available jobs made this shift very germane and compelling.

Primarily, this witnessed the introduction of skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programme in the Scheme, with a Department solely dedicated to coordinating and managing the programme.

I therefore hastily admonish that you pay very keen interest to this programme which is a bold attempt by the NYSC to stem the tide of youth unemployment in Nigeria through the impartation of various skill sets and entrepreneurial mindset to corps members, for self-dependency and financial freedom at the end of Service.

It is gratifying to state that credit facilities are offered to interested members at single – digit interest rate by a number of Financial Institutions that are in collaboration with the Scheme in its resolve to raise a crop of Entrepreneurs from amongst youth corps members which have been a success story. The modalities for accessing the facilities shall be unveiled to you during the sensitization programmes that will be held in the camp. You must avail yourselves of this opportunity offered on a platter of gold by the Scheme by keying into the skill acquisition programme.

Let me at this juncture emphasise that in the three weeks you will be encamped, there will be strict observance of regimentation in all your activities. The implication of this is the curtailment of your freedom. You are expected to conform accordingly and also ensure active participatory camp life while living harmoniously with one another. In this wise, I encourage you to join the different camp committees such as Social, Sports, Utility, Security, Sanitation committees among others in order to achieve the aforesaid purpose.

At the end of Service, deserving corps members will be bestowed with some awards in the form of Chairman’s Award, State Honours Award and the most prestigious and highest of them, NYSC President’s Honours Award which carries automatic employment into the Federal Civil Service. Details of these Awards shall be revealed to you by your State Coordinator. However, it is pertinent to state that grading of recipients starts from the camp. I expect you to begin now to distinguish yourself in whatever you do on camp as all eyes are on you.

At the end of the three – week programme, you will be posted to all the nooks and crannies of the state to commence the other phases of Service. I enjoin you to live peacefully with your host communities. As much as possible, make some positive impact in the communities by leaving them better than you will meet them. Get properly integrated into the communities, learning their languages, cultures and norms. However, you must avoid their taboos. Never get involved in their local politics or show partisanship in national politics whenever you are enlisted on national assignment as Electoral Officers. Involvement in national politics is only permissible for you after your demobilization from Service.

Finally, you must never embark on frivolous journeys, whether within or outside the state. Some of your predecessors met their sudden deaths through such journeys, thereby causing their families great anguish. If there is a compelling need for you to travel outside the state, permission must be obtained from your State Coordinator through the appropriate channel. This will be explained to you in detail by the State Coordinator. Remember, the Nation and your families need you to stay alive so as to complete the Service and maximize your life potentials.

My dear children, I welcome you once again on board the ship of unity and sustainable development. As you sail along, I wish you a resounding success in the voyage.

God bless you.

Brig Gen SZ Kazaure

Director-General, National Youth Service Corps.