The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has confirmed that one of the reforms approved for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will replace the scheme’s traditional khaki uniform with Adire fabric.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Olawande said the change is designed to promote local manufacturing and ensure government spending supports the Nigerian 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,” the minister said.
Olawande also disclosed that under the ongoing restructuring of the NYSC, corps members will increasingly be posted according to their fields of study and professional qualifications. Graduates with education-related qualifications, for instance, would be deployed to schools instead of the current system where postings are not always based on specialization.
Addressing security concerns surrounding corps member deployment, the minister said the government is considering posting graduates to regions where they studied and are familiar with the environment, especially in areas facing security challenges.
“If we have a particular area that is having insecurity, instead of probably forcing people or parents to start talking, we must also give them an opportunity that ‘okay, who are those in that area, that schooled in that area, that know much about that area?'” he explained.
Olawande also dismissed reports that the military would be removed from the NYSC, clarifying that although the scheme’s operational leadership would be headed by a civilian, the military would continue to provide security support nationwide.