The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has dismissed reports claiming that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) wil replace its current Khaki uniform with Adire or any other fabric.
Speaking on the matter, the Minister explained that his earlier mentioned of Adire and Ankara was only to illustrate some of the proposals that emerged during the ongoing consultations on possible reforms.
“I mentioned Adire during the discussion. I also mentioned Ankara. My intention was simply to cite examples of some of the proposals that have been put forward in the course of our consultations. It was not announcement that any particular fabric has been adopted or approved to replace the existing NYSC uniform”, he said.
According to him, the government is considering options that “tick all the right boxes in terms of professional outlook, a unique national identity, functionality, durability, cost-effectiveness, national identity, support for local industries and projection of national pride” .
He said any eventual decision would be guided by extensive stakeholder consultations and what best serves the interests of the NYSC and the country.
The minister also urged Nigerians not to allow debate over proposed uniform to overshadow the broader objectives of the ongoing reforms.
Speaking on Channels Television”s ‘The Morning Brief”, Olawande had said , “It’s Adire”, explaining that the move was intended to promote local textile production and keep government spending within Nigerian economy.
The clarification comes after widespread reports suggested that the Federal Government had approved Adire as the new NYSC uniform s.
The proposed uniform change formed part of the the comprehensive overhaul of the NYSC approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday , which also includes skills -based deployment of corps members, civilian operational leadership for the scheme and amendments to the NYSC Act.
-9News Nigeria.
