The Federal Government has unveiled plans to transform National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps into hubs for skill acquisition, aimed at equipping Corps members with practical skills for self-reliance.
Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this during his first interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Monday, following his elevation to the position of substantive minister.
Highlighting the initiative, Olawande stated that the transformation of NYSC camps would be achieved through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, emphasizing the importance of equipping young Nigerians with skill sets critical for personal and national development.
“Very soon, we are doing PPP. We want to turn NYSC orientation camps into skills hubs. Enough is enough. You must not spend one year and have nothing to gain. The fact remains that we cannot continue like this. Things must change,” he said.
The Minister reiterated his earlier directive that Corps members should be posted only to areas relevant to their fields of study. “We said it, and we will stand by it, and we will work towards it,” he affirmed.
Olawande acknowledged the pressing challenges facing Nigerian youth, including hunger and unemployment, but urged them to trust in the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address these issues. He stressed the need for Nigerians to unite in fixing the country, as external solutions would not suffice.
“There are issues of hunger, unemployment, and other challenges, but no spirit or angels will come from Heaven or elsewhere to fix the country except Nigerians working together to fix the problems,” he stated.
The Minister also commended President Tinubu for appointing a youthful leader to drive the Ministry of Youth Development, describing it as a groundbreaking decision.
“We appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for giving us the opportunity for the first time since 1999 to have a youth for the youth ministry. We are running an open-door policy,” Olawande said.
He appealed to Nigerian youth to seize the opportunity to contribute to the nation’s economic development and called for media support in achieving the ministry’s objectives.
“We don’t have any other country, and I’m begging you that the future of this country lies on us. A large number of us are youth, and I’m pleading that it is the actual time for us to sit tight and let Nigerian youth know that the ministry of youth is for the youth,” he added.
