We Will Maintain NYSC Program - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on
Wednesday said that the National Youth Service
Corps was still relevant for national integration and
unity.
To this end, he had pledged his administration’s
commitment to take all necessary actions in
maintaining the programme.
President Buhari gave the assurance after receiving
a briefing from officials of the Federal Ministry of
Youth Development led by the Permanent
Secretary, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta.
The President who affirmed his confidence and
trust in the programme said that the objective for
which the scheme was established in 1973 was
still very relevant for national development.
“I firmly believe in NYSC and I think it should
remain a national programme to promote
integration.
“Whenever I go home to Daura, I look out for
Corps members from Lagos, Aba and other parts of
the country.
“I am always thrilled to learn that except for the
NYSC, some of them have never left their states of
origin to visit other cities in the country,” Buhari
said.
Jimeta had earlier told the President that the
increasing number of NYSC participants posed a
challenge to the scheme due to the dwindling
revenue, from the national budget, to cater for their
needs.
According to her, the annual enrolment of corps
participants had increased from 2,364 at inception
in 1974 to 229,016 in 2014.
“Given the increasing number of tertiary
institutions, our projection is that the number of
corps participants may rise to 300,000 by year
2020,’’ she said.
Also, speaking, the Director-General of NYSC,
Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, told the
President that there were plans to make the
scheme voluntary and reduce the corps population
to make the programme more sustainable.