TheCable

Sunday Dare, minister of youth and sports development, says the federal government will invest N14 billion to improve the welfare of corps members and staff of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

NAN reports that the minister spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2023 NYSC annual management conference in Abuja on Tuesday. 

Dare said the document containing the initiative and other proposed reforms has been submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

“It is for us to increase and improve the quality of the uniforms of our corps members, increase their bicycle allowance, their feeding allowance, and compensation to the staff,” he said. 

“All of that has been done and has gone to the relevant ministry and finance. I am sure that as it makes its way to the presidency, it will get a positive response that will see an injection of N14 billion into the corps and staff welfare for the NYSC.”

The minister said the youths are critical to nation-building and must be carried along at all levels.

“We also need internal reforms because we deal with a very sensitive population; since the EndSARS happened, no segment of this country can ever or should ever ignore the youth of our country,” he added.

“The youth of this country deserve investment in skills but also those of us entrusted with taking care of them must be sensitive to their needs and also to the issues that are affecting them today.”

On his part, Yusha’u Ahmed, NYSC director-general, said the scheme has remained integral to national unity and integration since its establishment in 1973.