NYSC Saves Bayelsa State N3bn Annually, DG Reveals

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has revealed that the scheme saves the Bayelsa State government about N3bn annually through the services of 5,000 Corps members deployed across the state.

Nafiu disclosed this during a visit to Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, in Yenagoa, where he appealed for the state’s support in fulfilling its statutory obligations to the NYSC.

The DG thanked the governor for providing a new 700-capacity male hostel at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Kaima, and for the ongoing construction of another hostel for female Corps members, which is at 50 percent completion.

He also appreciated the state government’s prompt payment of monthly allowances and post-camp transportation subsidy, support for families of deceased Corps members, and sustenance of the State NYSC Honours Award.

Nafiu emphasized the need for States and local government councils to prioritize their statutory obligations to the NYSC, including constituting the NYSC State Governing Board and Local Government Committees, which are currently non-existent in Bayelsa State.

The DG also disclosed that 3,349 Bayelsa youths are currently serving in other states, highlighting the scheme’s contribution to national development and youth empowerment.

Nafiu appealed to the governor to provide vehicles for the NYSC State Secretariat to aid monitoring and inspection and to hasten the completion of the female hostel at the state’s Orientation Camp.

He also reminded the governor of a pending request for land for rice farming, a venture aimed at training Corps members towards self-employment and wealth creation.

Meanwhile, the DG also advised corps members to avail themselves of opportunities for self-employment through the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training.

Nafiu gave the advice while addressing the 2025 Batch ‘C’ Corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kaiama, Bayelsa State, and urged them to be committed to both the in-camp and post-camp training components of the programme, which was aimed at harnessing their potentials as emerging entrepreneurs.

Nafiu informed them that the NYSC was in partnership with different stakeholders, like the Bank of Industry, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Wema Bank, Unity Bank, Kudimata and the NNPC Foundation, among others, who would provide loans to enable Corps entrepreneurs to actualize their business vision.

The DG also advised the Corps members to make friends across the different socio-economic and cultural divides, and nurture the friendship with a view to strengthening national unity and integration.

He enjoined them to appreciate the culture of their host communities, adding, “Learn from the culture, values and identity of Bayelsa people to enable you to integrate seamlessly into the communities you will be posted to.”

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the NYSC Bayelsa State Coordinator, Mrs Obiageli Okpalifo, informed the DG that the Corps members had been participating actively in all Camp activities while the Camp officials were working as a team for the overall success of the orientation exercise.

She used the occasion to commend the Bayelsa State Government and other stakeholders for their support for the Scheme, vowing to sustain the advocacy for speedy completion of the on-going projects in the Camp and other forms of assistance