Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, the Director General (DG) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has called on the Bayelsa State Government to fulfil its statutory obligations to the scheme. He emphasised the need for the immediate constitution of key administrative bodies.
The DG made the appeal during a visit to the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, in Yenagoa on Thursday, where he was on a mission to monitor the ongoing 2025 Batch ‘C’ Orientation Course.
Nafiu reminded Diri that the NYSC State Governing Board and Local Government Committees were non-existent in the State.
He stressed that these statutory bodies are critical to the security, general welfare, and utilisation of Corps members.
The DG also used the opportunity to appeal to the governor to provide operational vehicles for the NYSC State Secretariat to aid monitoring and inspection activities and hasten the **completion of the female hostel at the State’s Permanent Orientation Camp in Kaima.
He also asked the governor to act on a pending request for the provision of land for rice farming, which is part of the NYSC’s venture into agriculture to train Corps members for self-employment.
Despite the outstanding requests, the DG extended gratitude to Diri for the State Government’s existing support for the scheme.
Nafiu thanked the governor for the provision of a new 700-capacity male hostel at the Permanent Orientation Camp, Kaima and the ongoing construction of a female hostel, which is reported to be at 50% completion stage.
He also thanked him for the prompt payment of monthly allowances and post-camp transportation subsidy to Corps members, support for families of deceased Corps members, and the sustenance of the State NYSC Honours Award.
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Underscoring the NYSC’s relevance, the DG disclosed that the approximately 5,000 Corps members currently serving across the state offer services that save the state government an estimated three billion Naira annually. He also noted that 3,349 Bayelsa youths are currently serving in other states of the federation.
The DG stressed that prioritising the NYSC’s needs is essential, as the scheme remains responsive and relevant to the State’s development.
Speaking, the governor said he has directed the commissioner for works and infrastructure to complete the ongoing construction of a female hostel in the NYSC orientation camp, Kaiama, in the Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area of Bayelsa State.
Diri added that he also directed the commissioner for Agriculture and his Land and Housing counterpart to provide land for farming to the NYSC in the state.
