₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government has confirmed that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will replace its traditional khaki uniform with Adire fabric as part of the sweeping reforms recently approved for the scheme.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

According to the minister, the new uniform will be produced locally to promote indigenous manufacturing and ensure government spending supports Nigeria’s economy.

“It’s Adire. So, Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” Olawande said.

Corps members to be posted based on qualifications

The minister also revealed that the ongoing restructuring of the NYSC would see corps members increasingly deployed according to their fields of study and professional qualifications.

He explained that graduates with education-related qualifications would be posted to schools and relevant institutions instead of the current system of random deployment.

“After you are leaving the camp, you are not just posted to a school just because NYSC wants you to be in school but because of the process you followed when in camp. So, that is going to give a framework of where you are going to be posted to,” he said.

New deployment strategy to address insecurity

Olawande said the government is also considering a deployment policy that prioritises posting corps members to regions where they studied or are already familiar with the environment, particularly in areas affected by insecurity.

According to him, the move is aimed at reducing anxiety among parents and prospective corps members while making deployments more practical.

“If we have a particular area that is having insecurity, instead of probably forcing people or parents to start talking, we must also give them an opportunity that ‘okay, who are those in that area, that schooled in that area, that know much about that area?’

“If you have interest that you want to go to the North-East, why not? But if you don’t have interest, instead of redeploying you... let us look at who are those in that area that can reside in those geographical areas and still give us the kind of number we are looking for,” he added.

Military remains part of NYSC

The minister also dismissed reports claiming the military would be removed from the NYSC, describing such reports as a misconception.

He clarified that while the scheme’s operational leadership would now be headed by a civilian, the military would continue to provide security support for corps members nationwide.

“We are not taking the military out of NYSC... Military is not taken away, there is no how you can take the military away. It is just saying that we are moving away from military mobilisation to civilian mobilisation,” he said.

The reforms followed Monday’s approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the most comprehensive overhaul of the NYSC since its establishment 53 years ago.

As part of the reforms, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth Development have been directed to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to provide legal backing for the changes.

Under the new framework, the NYSC will operate under civilian leadership, while the military will retain responsibility for security support during orientation camps and other programme activities.

The Federal Government said the reforms are aimed at transforming the NYSC into a skills-driven, productivity-focused youth empowerment institution aligned with its ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.

tobore4u:
Federal Government and misplaced priority

tobore4u:
Federal Government and misplaced priority

tobore4u:
Federal Government and misplaced priority

jmoore:
Tinubu the destruction master. This man has destroyed all institutions.

tobore4u:
Federal Government and misplaced priority

MARKETfund:
Sha, the FG likes creating unnecessary tension among Nigerians. Adire is a Yoruba cultural fabric. Nigeria is a circular state. STOP!

Get busy with your core mandate - security of life and properties.
This is like the leaving the leprosy uncared for only to labour over the yaw.