The Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Alabo Gideon Ekeuwei has said the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) is the most vibrant and best youths programme in Africa in the last 50 years.
According to Alabo Gideon Ekeuwei, despite the challenges faced in the last 50 years, the NYSC programme has outlived every other youths scheme initiated in Nigeria and continent of Africa.
Ekeuwei, who is also the Chairman, NYSC State Governing Board, described the NYSC as a key factor for national development and integration.
Alabo Gideon Ekeuwei, who made this known during the NYSC @ 50 Anniversary lecture at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, the corps members who have become major elements in the Youths scheme have become an indispensable factor in the areas of education, health care, agriculture and infrastructure as they carry out their primary and secondary assignments.
Ekeuwei, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary General Services, Mr. Anthony Ichobo congratulated the Service Corps for its 50th Anniversary celebration and said he looked forward to the next 50 years of the scheme as the champion of national unity, cultural integration and religious tolerance.
In her welcome remarks, the State Coordinator, Mrs Okpalifo Obiageli Charity On behalf of the Director General, Brig Gen YD Ahmed welcomed all guests to the venue and said that the event was one of the programmes scheduled nation – wide to mark the 50th anniversary of the Service Corps as the scheme was established on 22 May, 1973 by General Yakubu Gowon.
She said this year’s theme which also doubled as the topic for the lecture tagged : NYSC @ 50: Five Decades of Fostering National Unity and Development was relevant as a result of the immense contribution to the nation.
She pointed out that in the last 50 years, the NYSC has been mobilising and deploying Nigeria graduate youths to serve the nation in all the nooks and crannies of the nation.
The corps members have played pivotal roles in national programmes and significant roles in the education and health care sectors as well as in community development.
She was emphatic that the scheme has become the most vibrant youth programme in the continent of Africa.
The scheme also stood out as the champion of national unity, cultural integration and religious tolerance.
The guest lecturer, Dr Anderson Nikade – a former staff of the service, who is currently a lecturer with the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, commended the management of the scheme for consistently initiating policies to enhance the attainment of the core objectives of promoting self – reliance, patriotism, brotherhood and a shared sense of corporate existence among Nigerians.
He pointed out that the NYSC has become a melting pot of multi – cultural, multi- ethnic and multi- religious composition as a veritable platform which showcases the beauty in Nigeria’s diversity.
