NYSC set to tackle graduate unemployment –

DG

The Director-General of National Youth Service Corps, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, on Wednesday, said the scheme would be repositioned in order to make corps members self reliant.

He made the disclosure in Calabar during the 2014 Annual Management Conference of the scheme.

Olawumi said NYSC was ready to address the problem of graduate unemployment in the country, as it had achieved its objective of fostering national unity among Nigerian graduates.

He said “it is now time to refocus on national development.

“At 41, we have achieved a lot in terms of national unity; we are now trying to reposition the scheme to address the problem of unemployment.

“We are focusing on the objective of self reliance by making corps members job creators instead of job seekers.

“We believe that using the scheme now to address unemployment will help in enhancing national development.’’

The director-general said that the conference, which has “Evolving Dynamic Operational Strategies to Tackle Present Challenges in the NYSC’’ as its theme, was for top managers of the scheme to take stock and appraise critical areas.

It was also aimed at critically examining the scheme’s operational performance, with a view to improving on its service delivery, he said.

He added that the scheme had faced a lot of challenges, including inadequate orientation camp facilities, non-fulfilment of statutory obligations by some critical stakeholders and security issues.

The Chairman of NYSC Board, Mr. Gordon Bozimo, said the board was looking into the issue of Corps Insurance Scheme with a view to making it more sensitive in service delivery.

Bozimo called for increased funding of the scheme, adding that the board was equally considering some policies aimed at instituting a regime of improved welfare for managers of the scheme.

Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River called for improved cordial relationship between corps members and their host communities.

Imoke, who was represented by the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham, said this would solve the problem of rejection of corps members, among others.