…introduces new posting system
The Federal Government has announced plans to replace the National Youth Service Corps’ traditional khaki uniform with locally made Adire fabric as part of a broad reform package designed to strengthen the scheme and boost indigenous industries.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the proposal on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He explained that the initiative would encourage local production while ensuring public funds are spent within the country’s economy.
“It’s Adire. So, Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” he said.
Beyond the proposed uniform change, Olawande said the government intends to improve the deployment process by assigning corps members to places of primary assignment that align with their academic qualifications and professional training.
He noted that graduates with education-related qualifications, for example, would be posted to schools through a structured process rather than being deployed arbitrarily.
“After you are leaving the camp, you are not just posted to a school just because NYSC wants you to be in school but because of the process you followed when in camp. So, that is going to give a framework of where you are going to be posted to,” he said.
The minister also said the government is considering a deployment model that would allow prospective corps members to serve in regions where they studied and are already familiar with the environment, especially in areas affected by security concerns.
According to him, the proposal is aimed at easing the fears of parents and corps members while making the posting process more efficient and practical.
“If you have interest that you want to go to the North-East why not, but if you don’t have interest, instead of redeploying you, paying people for camp, doing all those funny things, we said no, let us look at it and say who are those in that area, that can reside in those geographical areas and still give us the kind of number we are looking for since we are saying NYSC should be more impactful. So, that is what we are talking about,” he said.
Olawande also dismissed reports that the military would be removed from the NYSC structure, describing such claims as unfounded.
The proposed changes come after the Federal Executive Council approved a comprehensive overhaul of the NYSC on Monday, marking the first major reform of the scheme since it was established in 1973.
As part of the approved reforms, the Federal Executive Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to accommodate the new policy direction.
Under the new arrangement, the scheme’s day-to-day operations will be led by a civilian, while the military will continue to provide security support for corps members across the country.
