The Federal Government has announced that the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, traditional khaki uniform will be replaced with Adire fabric as part of ongoing reforms.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announced this on Thursday when he appeared on Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’.
Olawande noted that the decision is part of broader efforts by the government to strengthen local production and ensure public spending directly supports Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, the new uniform would be produced locally, noting that Adire is already widely manufactured in different parts of the country.
Responding to questions on whether the new uniforms will be produced locally.
Olawande said Adire fabric would be sourced from Nigerin textile producers.
“It is Adire, so Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun State, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country”, Mr. Olawande said.
Speaking further, Mr. Olawande stated that part of the overhaul includes specific-based postings whereby corps members would be posted to the place of primary assignment that aligns with their academic qualification.
“That after you are living the camp, you are not just posted to a 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”, the minister said.
He noted also that methods of posting corps members would change to address insecurity, the scheme would focus on individuals that have lived in certain areas and familiar with the conditions of the environment.
The minister also announced that corps members would, under the new reforms, increasingly be posted according to their academic qualifications and career paths rather than through the existing general deployment system.
He clarified that although the scheme’s operational leadership would be headed by a civilian, the military would continue to play its traditional role in ensuring the security of corps members.
“Military is not taken away, there is no how you can take the military away. It is just saying that we are moving away from military mobilisation”, he said.
Under the new framework, the orientation course has been expanded to six weeks with greater emphasis on entrepreneurship vocational skills, civic responsibility and employment.
Recall on Monday the Federal Executive Council, FEC, approved a comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, since it was established in 1973.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, said the reforms are aimed at equipping young Nigerians with practical skills and preparing them for national development.
-9News Nigeria.
