The Chairman, Ondo State NYSC Governing Board, Otunba Bamidele Ologun has extolled the ingenuity of the Federal Government in establishing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Ologun, who doubles as the Commissioner of Youth and Sports Development in the Sunshine State made this known in his address during the NYSC Corps Employers Workshop held at Aquinas College, Akure.
The youthful Chairman while acknowledging the immense contributions of the NYSC management asserted that the solid foundation laid by the founding fathers of the Scheme is responsible for the great accomplishments the leading youth organisation in Africa has achieved in its 50 years of existence.
"The magnanimity of the Federal Government to establish and sustain this legacy is indeed a blessing to the nation and I want to admonish our distinguished participants to continue to keep faith with the lofty ideas of this laudable Scheme which has recorded tremendous achievements in her 50 years of establishment".
The Honourable Commissioner disclosed that the noble Scheme has to a large extent contributed in no small measure to the overall development that permeated all the facets of human endeavours in the country.
"The striking and giant strides recorded in agriculture, education, health, rural infrastructures and other areas of national development could be attributed to the commitment of corps members who are under the auspices of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme".
Speaking on the theme of the workshop which is 'Optimising the Productivity of Corps Members through Enhanced Welfare and Security during the Service Year', the Chairman said that the programme could not have come at a better time than now as productivity of corps members needed to be rejigged whereunto it had suffered as a result of lack of motivation and encouragement from Corps Employers.
"Let me inform you that what we are witnessing today has made everyone unwilling to do the right thing, and the situation has gone bad to the level where Corps Employers and the major component of the Scheme- the corps members have compromised the standards and are no longer working in realisation of the vision of the founding fathers".
He charged them to eschew all sentiments during the workshop and come up with solutions which are scientifically achievable, rather than theoretical postulations that are only good for academic exercise.
Ologun challenged the workshop participants to drop all individual and personal habits or attitudes that are antithetical to productive exercise in previous years and embrace new thoughts and ideas that will lead to a mindset capable of putting sacrifice beyond self aggrandisement.
The Ondo State NYSC Governing Board boss declared that the event was meant to holistically look at the several hindrances that has made productivity very low on the part of corps members and various ways and steps the Corps Employers must take to address the ugly trend which had on several occasions pitched NYSC management against Corps Employers.
He implored the Corps Employers to do more for the graduate youths posted to their respective organisations so as to continue enjoy the best services from them.
In his keynote address, the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Yishau Dogara Ahmed, DSS, fdc, MTRCN, MNARC said that the management came up with the theme of the workshop having realised the challenges confronting the corps members at their various places of primary assignment in attaining optimal productivity.
The Director General specifically charged the convocation to come up with enduring solutions to some of the challenges which included but not limited to rapid decline in welfare provisions for corps members; constant threats to corps members' security; connivance of employers with corps members to play truancy; dwindling support for corps members' community development projects and knowledge gap in the NYSC policies and rules by employers to mention but a few.
The NYSC boss who was represented by the Deputy Director in charge of Staff Welfare at the NYSC Southwest Area Office, Mr. Ifeanyi Ezeajugwu charged the participants to let their recommendations and resolutions proved to be collectively positioned to advance the course of NYSC Scheme and the general welfare and security of corps members in enabling them perform optimally.
Earlier in her opening address, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani disclosed that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme has pushed the country on a global scale since it was established some 50 years ago.
"The Scheme puts the nation first while leveraging on the vision of the founding fathers to ensure that Nigerian graduate youths are given access to leadership positions in other for them to actualise their potentials and be at par with their contemporaries all over the world".
The State Coordinator hinted that the priority attention the managers and corps members of the Scheme gave to the nation is responsible for the national development prominent in critical sectors of the economy which has the signatures and identity of the committed and patriotic Nigerians under the auspices of the National Youth Service Corps.
"You can all attest to the fact that the nation has massively invested in the creativity and ingenuity of corps members nationwide. The life-impacting projects executed by these promising Nigerians in all the states of the federation shows the incontrovertible fact, that given the right encouragement, their productivity will reach the high heavens".
She reiterated that the management of the laudable Scheme will continue to prioritise the security and welfare of members of the service corps, and as such will not condone any undue interference by Corps Employers who are hell-bent on not playing the game according to the rules.
"NYSC as a responsible and dynamic organisation will continue to provide top-notch leadership role to corps members with a view to making them dream leaders that the world will stand up to celebrate" she proudly said.
The NYSC Ondo State boss eulogised the unwavering support received from the State Government under the leadership of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, CON, SAN whose leadership acumen has improved the rating of the Sunshine State.
The NYSC helmsman in Ondo State appreciated the contributions of all the stakeholders who are too numerous to mention, and equally thanked the fourth estate of the realm, the Press for always giving the activities of the Scheme adequate and positive coverage.
The Guest Lecturer, Dr. Oyewole Olusanya berated some of the Corps Employers for not properly integrating corps members posted to them into the mainstream of their activities and request such employers to turn new leaf.
Dr. Olusanya, a medical Sociologist from Sociology Department of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko said that Corps Employers should be conversant with the operations of the Scheme by having unhindered access to its publications that has to do with operations concerning corps members.
The Guest Lecturer who observed his mandatory national service in Plateau State during 1996/97 service year asserted that Government investment on corps members should be complemented by the Corps Employers so that productivity of the members of the service corps would be greatly enhanced.
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