Corps members save Lagos over N14bn annually - NYSC DG

By Denis Matthew, Abuja

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has revealed that the Scheme provides services to the government and people of Lagos State valued at over N14 billion annually.
This significant contribution was disclosed by General Nafiu during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Government House, Marina.

The revelation was contained in a statement released on Monday by Caroline Embu, Director of Information and Public Relations.

General Nafiu calculated this minimum monetary value based on the contributions of the over 44,000 Corps Members deployed across the state in various crucial sectors. Specifically, he highlighted the services of 333 medical doctors, 306 pharmacists, 274 nurses, and 7,188 teachers serving in Lagos.

The NYSC helmsman affirmed that Lagos remains the number one destination for Corps Members, noting that the state’s relative security contributes to parents feeling comfortable with the deployment.

The Director General explained that his visit was intended to acknowledge the Lagos State Government's extensive support for the Scheme, strengthen their already cordial relationship, and assure the Governor that NYSC would continue to deploy an adequate number of Corps Members to serve the state.

General Nafiu commended the Governor for undertaking critical renovation work at the temporary orientation camp in Iyana-Ipaja while construction on the 10,000-capacity Permanent Orientation Camp is ongoing.

He expressed the Scheme's anticipation for the completion of the permanent site, which will allow all deployed Corps Members to camp in one location, ending the current necessity of dislodging some to contiguous camps.

In his requests, the DG urged the Governor to provide the NYSC Secretariat with an ambulance and asked him to sustain the existing areas of support that provide much-needed operational assistance to the state formation.

General Nafiu also took the opportunity to congratulate Governor Sanwo-Olu on the recently remodelled National Theatre, acknowledging it as a national monument of repute.