Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon has urged the management of the NYSC to sustain the tempo of its ongoing strides which has kept the scheme in the national and global limelight.
Gowon made the call on Thursday in Abuja, while inaugurating the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Television and Radio Stations.
Gowon said that the scheme had in almost five decades of its existence successfully harnessed the potentials of graduate youth as models for defining patriotism, credible and quality leadership as well as economic regeneration.
According to him, the media outfits will no doubt contribute to enhancing and sustaining the capacity of the scheme to consolidate its achievements and reach out to its global audience.
He said “in particular they will serve as veritable tools for driving our quest for national unity: cohesion and purposeful development.
“It is my earnest expectation that Nigerians will not only find the NYSC radio and television stations as reliable platforms for information dissemination, education and entertainment but also ensure regular patronage of their services.
“In doing so, we will be demonstrating our collective determination to bequeath a better nation to future generations of Nigerians,” he said.
Gowon said that he was delighted that corps members continued to render patriotic and selfless services to the country, especially as active participants in the implementation of national programs.
“Programs such as elections, immunization, population census and advocacy programs on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers and HIV/AIDS campaign, amongst others.”
He added that he hoped that the achievements would be given the widest publicity by the stations in order to elicit increased support from the general public.
The elder statesman appreciated governments at all levels for according priority to matters of youth development and the NYSC in particular.
He appealed to all stakeholders to give more support to the scheme in its arduous task of promoting national unity, integration and development in line with its vision.
He also expressed support for the proposed NYSC Trust Fund, adding that he was impressed with the progress being made in the legislative processes towards the passage of the Bill on the establishment of the fund at the National Assembly.
(NAN)
