FG revokes directives relating to NYSC posting restrictions

Disturbed by the country’s high youth unemployment, the Federal Government has revoked all previous directives relating to posting restrictions in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

A memo dated November 18 by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande to the NYSC Director-General, noted that the lifting would take effect from the commencement date of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation Course.

Olawande said the ministerial directive was in line with the mandate of President Bola Tinubu to ensure that all government’s ministries, agencies and parastatals operate in tandem with the overall vision of the administration.

According to Olawande, the President “is greatly concerned about the rate of youth unemployment, hence he expects the Ministry of Youth Development and the agencies under it to be at the forefront of working to curtail the challenge.”

The memo reads in part: “I am aware that the current NYSC posting policy, which was initiated during the tenure of one of my predecessors, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, restricts postings to four areas (Education, Agriculture, Health and Infrastructure).

“The argument of Mr Abdullahi at the time was that while the government was funding the NYSC, many private sector organisations stopped employing because of the easy access to cheap corps members’ labour.

“While the former minister was largely right, the fact that many corps members, who require specialised training in their areas of study are limited by the posting policy, has greatly hampered experience gathering that would effectively prepare them for the job market.

“Therefore, as we battle the unemployment crisis, there is an urgent need to review this policy to expand the opportunity and access for corps members to serve in places that are relevant to their areas of study.”