The National Youth Service Corps has inaugurated the reconstituted 13 member President's National Honours Award Selection Committee.

The NYSC Director General, Brigadier General YD while inaugurating the committee in Abuja yesterday charged them, being the highest body saddled with the evaluation of the performances and selection of Corps Members for the award to sustain the standards already set.

He said the President's Honours Award was instituted in 1974 as a way of encouraging Corps Members to contribute to the overall national development through the NYSC programme.

"The Award is to serve as motivation for hardwork and reward for excellence among the Corps Members. Since it's commencement, 1,426 Ex-Corps Members have so far received the award, which is usually conferred by the President", the DG said.

He stated further that the selection process is based on the assessment of Corps Members' performances in all the major programmes of the NYSC, namely; Orientation Course, Primary Assignment, Community Development Service, and Winding-Up and Passing-Out activities.

General Ahmed added that other personal qualities such as sense of duty, drive, determination, initiative, resourcefulness, leadership traits, discipline and teamwork are part of the selection criteria.

"The best of the NYSC State Honours Award Winners are nominated for consideration for the Presidential award. Therefore, the final winners from the State nominees precedes every successful President's Honours Award Ceremony.

Given the calibre of personalities on the committee, l am confident that the outcome of the screening and selection exercise will be credible", General Ahmed stated.

The Director, Corps Welfare and Health Services, Mr Omotade Ayodele Folorunso in his remarks said since the inception of the Scheme in 1973, the President's Honours Award has consistently been sustained over the years and placed the Scheme on a higher pedestal above other government agencies in terms of giving back to the youths who have distinguished themselves in service to their fatherland.

Omotade disclosed that the committee would be dealing with backlog of arrears occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted normal NYSC operations in 2020 and most part of 2021.

"Our assignment would be consideration and selection of nominees from 2020 Batches 'A' and 'B', 2021 Batches 'A', 'B' and 'C', and 2022 Batches 'A', 'B' and 'C' service years.

The Chairman, National Selection Committee, Professor Lilian Imuetiny An Salami in her statement of commitment on behalf of the committee promised to be diligent in the discharges of their assigned responsibilities.

She lauded NYSC for contributing meritoriously to the socio-economic development of the country since it's inception.

"We will put in our best to ensure that those who are worthy are celebrated", she said.

Members of the committee are eminent Nigerians drawn from the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Committee of Vice-Chancellors, Committee of Rectors of Polytechnics, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, National Council for Women Societies, two retired Directors of NYSC and serving NYSC Director, Corps Welfare and Health Services.

Eddy Megwa fnipr
Director, Press and Public Relations