The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has cautioned employers against rejecting or mistreating corps members posted to their organisations.
Alhaji Usman Yakubu-Yaro, NYSC State Coordinator for Sokoto, issued the warning on Monday at the 2025 Corps Employers’ Workshop themed “The Role of Employers.”
He stressed the importance of safeguarding corps members’ welfare and safety to ensure a meaningful and productive service year.
“Corps members must be given adequate protection and support if we are to get the best from their national service,” he said.
Yakubu-Yaro expressed concern over a growing trend of corps members being rejected by employers, sometimes at the corps members’ own behest.
“There is an alarming increase in rejections, some orchestrated by the corps members themselves, which undermines the spirit of the scheme,” he noted.
He also highlighted issues such as underutilisation, delays in monthly clearance processes, lack of support for Community Development Service (CDS) projects, and poor accommodation at places of assignment.
“The NYSC remains committed to its founding objectives. This workshop offers a platform to strengthen engagement between the scheme and employers,” he added.
Yakubu-Yaro described the scheme as a critical platform for promoting national unity and building youth capacity.
Speaking at the workshop, Hajia Hadiza Galadima, Chairperson of the NYSC Governing Board and Permanent Secretary of Sokoto State Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to corps member welfare.
“Corps members serve the nation, and it is our duty to ensure their safety and support wherever they are deployed,” she said.
Dr. Okoro Robertson of Shehu Shagari College of Education, a resource person at the workshop, described corps employers as vital partners in shaping the future of Nigeria’s youth.
He warned against arbitrary redeployment of corps members, urging stricter monitoring of their performance to strengthen the programme’s effectiveness.
The workshop included group discussions and feedback sessions to assess the strengths and challenges of the NYSC scheme and to identify improvement opportunities.
