Despite the cure spate of insecurity in the country, the National Youths Service Scheme (NYSC) has been charged to go around the country and educate Nigerians on its significance in national cohesion and nation building.
In the same vein, Nigerians have been urged to rededicate themselves to the task of uniting the country, in the spirit of the visions championed by the country’s fore bearers, focused on cementing the country’s unity.
Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state made the calls when the National Governing Board of the NYSC led by its Chairperson, Amb. Fatima Ballah Abubakar paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Sokoto on Tuesday.
Gov. Tambuwal said: “we believe in the oneness of Nigeria. We believe all of us must work together for the common good of our people.
“The scheme… that you are leading is very central and important in promotion of national unity and cohesion. All men and women of goodwill should continue to support this scheme because we have seen a lot more of its advantages and what it has been able to do to bring people together; and, cementing our relationship, which we need now more than ever before as the fabric of our nation has never been so challenged in the last few years,” he said.
He, therefore, admonished the management of the scheme that: “it is important that you go round and kind of sensitize the people on the significance of this (scheme).
“Yes, there are security challenges, we must allow our children to go round the country and see the kind of country they have so that that may reinforce their beliefs in the unity of Nigeria. If you are in your corner, either in the South-East or in the South-West, South-South; North-Central or North-East, without visiting the other part of the country, you may not know what obtains in the next place, what they have to complement each other,” he added.
He further added that: “But by the time you go round, either in the course of this scheme or as citizen that is trying to know more about this country, you will come to understand that Nigeria is indeed a blessing to all of us who are Nigerians, the black race and humanity.”
According to him, the earlier Nigerians “come to the realization of that and work together to make it work, the better for everyone. Nigeria can work. Just like every other nation, some of them that are doing well today, have had their trying moments. We have had ours and by the grace of God we shall surmount it and continue to build and have a greater country that we call be very proud of.
“It is only by collectively doing our best from wherever we are, from wherever we find ourselves that we can actually achieve that and realize the vision of our forefathers who not only work together assiduously for the independence of Nigeria, but also the vision of the NYSC itself,” he explained.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment and support for the scheme, the Governor said: “Sokoto state is doing well with the NYSC,” pointing out that
the state government encourage stakeholders across the state to give a sense of belonging “of being part and parcel of Sokoto community.”
To this end, he said: “We are one of the very few states that are still paying some stipend to corpers in Nigeria. Yes, it may sound a bit low, we have been paying not less than N5000 to N50,000 to some medical corps members.
“We are up to date in payment of monthly allowances to our corpers. No matter their number, we still try to pay (them) as we pay salary every month. We are not owing any worker in Sokoto state any salary. We also pay corpers their allowances. We structure it in such a way that corpers will also get their allowances same time civil servants are paid,” he emphasized.
Gov. Tambuwal also took note of all the requests made by Amb. Ballah, from the renovation of a multipurpose hall, hostel accommodation, pavilion, kitchen, dining hall and the for an ambulance to be on standby. “We will see what we can do within limited resources,” he assured.
In her remarks earlier, Amb. Ballah who noted that both federal, states and local governments are facing very excruciating economic situation, pleaded for rectification of some facilities to cater for over 1000 corps members posted to the state every year.
She told the Governor that the Governing Board of the NYSC had visited the ‘spacious’ state NYSC camp situated at Wamakko town and found the infrastructure and services, such as water, electricity and accommodation, remarkable,
She said the board also paid a courtesy visit on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and thanked the monarch for his support to the scheme and corps members posted to the state annually.
