Lagos Reaffirms Support For NYSC At 53rd Anniversary Celebration

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), describing the scheme as a major driver of national unity and development as it marked its 53rd anniversary celebration.

Chairman of the Lagos State NYSC Governing Board and Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, stated this on Friday during activities commemorating the anniversary in Lagos.

Ogunlende said the NYSC remains one of the strongest platforms for promoting unity among Nigerians from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

“There is only one thing that keeps us together as a country and that is unity,” he said.

“We must continuously identify with this scheme to foster unity, which is key to national development.”

He urged corps members to remain law-abiding, diligent, and committed to national development in their various places of primary assignment.

The commissioner also assured corps members that the Lagos State Government would continue to prioritise their welfare and security throughout their service year.

Earlier, the Lagos State NYSC Coordinator, Christiana Salmwang, described the scheme as a critical institution for youth empowerment, grassroots development, and national integration.

She noted that the introduction of batches and streams had improved the coordination and administration of the programme across the country.

Salmwang also highlighted the importance of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, saying it had helped equip corps members with vocational and entrepreneurial skills needed to tackle unemployment.

“SAED has made the service year more rewarding and helped address graduate unemployment through entrepreneurial and vocational training,” she said.

She commended the support of the federal and state governments, traditional rulers, security agencies, and employers of corps members toward the success of the scheme.

“As we commemorate this 53rd anniversary, let us reflect on the scheme’s core values of unity, integrity, diligence, self-reliance and service to humanity,” she added.

Salmwang further said the NYSC had strengthened national cohesion through inter-tribal marriages and exposure to the country’s diverse cultures.

She praised corps members for their contributions in sectors such as education, healthcare, environmental sanitation, digital literacy, and community development.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, urged corps members to add value to their host communities and make the most of opportunities available during their service year.

Activities marking the anniversary included environmental sanitation exercises across local government areas as well as visits to orphanages and elderly care homes.