In a remarkable move, President Muhammadu Buhari has granted automatic employment in the Federal Civil Service to 65 former members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
This announcement was made during the NYSC 50th Anniversary Honours Award held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
Out of the 65 recipients, 52 individuals received the prestigious Presidential Honours Awards, while the remaining 13 were physically challenged ex-Corps Members recognized under the NYSC Hope Alive program.
President Buhari’s generosity doesn’t stop at employment alone.
He also revealed that both groups would be awarded scholarships to pursue their education up to the Doctorate Degree level at any university of their choice within the country.
Additionally, a cash prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,000.00) will be given to each of the top award winners, while Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) will be given to other award recipients, including the physically challenged ex-Corps members under the NYSC Hope Alive Programme.
To ensure the implementation of this employment offer and the granting of scholarships, President Buhari issued a directive to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the Honourable Minister of Education.
During the event, President Buhari took a moment to pay tribute to Corps Members who had lost their lives while serving the nation, stating, “May God grant their souls peaceful repose. They remain our heroes and heroines. The Nation shall continue to remember their sacrifices towards building a strong, indivisible, and egalitarian entity.”
The President expressed sympathy and solidarity with ex-Corps Members who sustained disabilities during their service year, assuring them that their sacrifices for the progress of the country would not be in vain.
President Buhari congratulated the founding fathers and past and present managers of the NYSC on the scheme’s Golden Jubilee, acknowledging their enduring faith, which has made NYSC a vital platform for mobilizing the youth toward national unity and development.
He commended all Nigerians who have participated in National Service over the past fifty years for their patriotic zeal and commitment to the NYSC mandate.
The President emphasized that the NYSC has justified its establishment as an interventionist agency, fostering national unity and breaking down ethnic suspicions and divisions.
He noted, “The multiplicity of marriages contracted over the years by Corps Members, cutting across the boundaries of ethnicity and religion, in no small measure, justifies my assertion.”
President Buhari expressed his deep appreciation to General (Dr) Yakubu Gowon, the founding father of the NYSC, for conceiving the idea and bringing the Corps to fruition on May 22, 1973.
He acknowledged the significant contributions of Corps Members in various spheres of national life, including combating the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as ad hoc personnel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and implementing Social Intervention Programs.
Recognizing the role of the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development program in diversifying the national economy, President Buhari assured continued government support for youth initiatives.
He cited the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) as an example of empowerment initiatives aimed at promoting youth-related activities and fostering a better Nigeria.
The President commended the NYSC Management for revenue generation and appreciated the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers implemented by the NYSC.
He called on individuals and corporate bodies to emulate this gesture and enhance access to quality healthcare, especially in rural communities.
President Buhari pledged his support for efforts to reinvent the NYSC through the establishment of a Trust Fund, expressing his confidence in the Scheme’s
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