By Harriet Tornguvan
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Maryam Isma'il Keshinro, has expressed her readiness to mobilise international support and partnerships to strengthen the operations of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and enhance its achievements.
Keshinro made this known during a familiarisation visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja, where she led members of the ministry’s management team. The visit was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu.
The Permanent Secretary called for increased funding, improved staffing levels and enhanced infrastructural development for the Scheme to ensure more effective and efficient service delivery nationwide.
She commended successive NYSC leaderships for their commitment to mentoring Corps Members in leadership and entrepreneurship, noting that the initiative had produced many successful young entrepreneurs across the country.
Recalling her own national service experience in Abia State in 1997, Keshinro praised the contributions of Corps Members to the promotion of national unity and integration. She also urged stronger collaboration among stakeholders and encouraged patronage of NYSC commercial ventures, including bottled water, bread and poultry products.
“I am proud of what you are doing. Thank you for working as a family. We are working for Nigeria, and I look forward to a robust working relationship with you,” she said.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, congratulated Keshinro on her appointment and briefed her on the Scheme’s operations.
He disclosed that the NYSC currently mobilises about 400,000 Corps Members annually, with projections indicating an increase to about 650,000 from Nigerian corps-producing institutions by 2026.
Nafiu assured the Permanent Secretary of the management’s commitment to improving security and the overall welfare of both staff and Corps Members.
