A Bill proposing the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund has successfully passed the Third Reading in the Senate. Sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), the bill aims to provide a sustainable source of funds to support various initiatives of the NYSC.
Among its objectives, the bill seeks to enable the NYSC to carry out skill acquisition, training, and empowerment programs for Corps members, as well as the training and retraining of personnel within the scheme. Additionally, it aims to facilitate the development of camps and NYSC formations and facilities nationwide.
Senator Adaramodu, who also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, highlighted during his lead debate that the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund would play a pivotal role in equipping graduates with essential skills through the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programmes.
He emphasized that the NYSC Trust Fund Bill is designed to enhance the development of Corps members and improve their overall welfare, along with that of the personnel involved in the NYSC. This legislative initiative underscores the Senate’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians and enhancing the impact of the NYSC in the nation’s development agenda.
Adaramodu said, “The early years of the National Youth Service Corps which was established May 1973, that’s 51 years ago, this is going to be the first attempt at making sure that the Act that established the National Youth Service Corps is dealt with to ensure and afford Nigerians to benefit from why the NYSC was established.”
“The management of the scheme has not only trained and empowered Corps members but has instilled patriotism and the spirit of Nationalism in Corp members since then.”
“The decision to establish the National Youth Service Trust Fund was conceived by some of the stakeholders which includes the 36 state governments and the FCT administration.”
“The idea to establish the trust fund was also strongly supported by Civil Society Organisations.”
Speaking with journalists shortly after plenary on the importance of the Bill, the Senate spokesperson, expressed the hope that when signed into law, the NYSC Trust Fund would not be subjected to abuse like the other existing social interventions programmes.
He said, “The structure of the Fund does not give room for that kind of sleaze so to say. It can never give room for it because there is strata and apart from having that strata, there is going to be checks and balances and not only that, this is a scheme for young adults of Nigerians and in fact, part of the young adults will be represented on the Board of Trustees that will be formed when it comes into practice.”
“So, definitely, it’s not going to be, then the structure of the NYSC as it is now there is little changes only for trustees members and then even procurement.”
“Procurement is not going to be solely done by even the DG. So, is not going to be something that several others will be part of. And then all the states of the federation will be part of and then all the strata of our governance will be part of – governors, local governments, CSOs will be part of.”
“So, when we put all these array of a collage of interest when we put them together like that then you can just trust that is not going to go the way of whatever you call it.”
“Well, I don’t know even the way N-power has gone because I am not a beneficiary of N-power and not one of the proponents of N-power but all I know is that is not going to be in the structure of N-power even if anything happens there which I don’t know.”