Stakeholders at the conference Hall of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) were excited on Monday, 30th January, 2023, when the 22nd Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Dogara Yusha’u Ahmed took over the mantle of leadership of the scheme from erstwhile Acting Director General Mrs. Christy Uba.
The euphoria of the event were in two folds, first, a substantive Director General had been appointed, following a brief but remarkable performance by Uba who held sway in an acting capacity.
Indeed, the hall was agog as the anchor of the programme announced the arrival of the New DG. Obviously, the audience had waited patiently to catch a glimpse of the army general.
A curious observer would notice the applause that greeted the introduction of General Ahmed’s citation and his agenda for the NYSC.
He anchored his duties on five-point agenda viz; security, good environment, strengthening stakeholders engagement, enhancement of capacity building and deepening of the impact of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development.
Specifically, he said the agenda would include, “Improving security, the welfare of corps members and staff to engender optimal service delivery to the nation;
“Providing enabling environment for research and development for the advancement of the scheme;
“Strengthening stakeholders’ engagement for the promotion of the frontiers of the scheme;
“Enhancement of capacity building to stimulate efficiency and higher corporate performance; and “Deepening the impact of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme.”
Little wonder, the new Director General wasted no time as SINL online gathered that he is currently on working visits to strategic stakeholders. His meeting with the founder of the NYSC, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) at his Asokoro residence attracted goodwill for the scheme.The former Head of State urged General YD Ahmed to use his wealth of experiences to take the Scheme to greater heights.
Gowon while congratulating the Director General on his appointment as the twenty-second Chief Executive of the Scheme, urged him to adopt an all-inclusive style of leadership.
Expectedly, Ahmed promised Gowon that he would build on the legacies of the founding fathers of the Scheme.
In a bid to seek more police protection at orientation camps and corps lodges across the country, Ahmed was among the delegation of the Chairman, NYSC National Governing Board, Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar on a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Alkali Baba Usman at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The NYSC Director General, prayed for stronger collaboration between the police and NYSC.
Perhaps, aware of the significance of inter agency collaboration, the NYSC under the leadership of Brigadier General Ahmed is poise to strengthen existing relationship between the scheme and other agencies.
To demonstrate this, he led some management staff of the Scheme on a courtesy call to the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
He said “we have corps members in all the 774 local government areas of the country. We want you to increase the surveillance on Corps Lodges, and other NYSC formations, especially as we approach the 2023 general elections in which Corps Members would serve as adhoc staff”.
Sequel to his five-point agenda which emphasise on welfare of corps members, Ahmed has sought for increased welfare for corps members on election duties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He told INEC boss, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu that the NYSC has been sensitizing the corps members on the need to participate actively as adhoc staff in the 2023 general elections and also adhere strictly to the electoral laws.
The safety of corps members and the need to acquire skill during service may have propelled his visits to NYSC Kaduna State Temporary Orientation Camp in Kurmin-mashi, Kaduna and NYSC Kano State Orientation Camp in Kusala Dam-Karaye respectively.
In Kaduna, Ahmed warned corps members not to undermine their security by embarking on unauthorized journeys, even as he advised Corps Members to acquire vocational skills through the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme in Kano.
He said many of their predecessors that embraced the programme some years ago, are now business owners creating jobs for others.
Historically, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. However, succesive Director Generals played their roles since the creation of the scheme, but the arrival of Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed, within a short space of time, has revealed that hope rises for NYSC.
The biography of Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed say it succinctly, he took several military courses throughout his career. Young Officers Course (Infantry), Young Officers Course (Education), Basic NAEC Officer Development Course, Basic System Approach to Training and Curriculum Development Adviser Course, and Advance NAEC Officers Course among others.
He is a member of the Nigerian National Defence College. His civil qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a History degree, a Master of Education in Educational Psychology, and a Master of Arts in Peace and Strategic Studies.
