Dr Sheku Kamara, The Sierra Leone Presidential Adviser on Youth has said that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, remains Nigeria’s best tool to foster unity among its citizen.
He said this while fielding questions from newsmen at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, on Thursday in Kubwa, FCT.
Kamara, who led a delegation on an inspection and monitoring tour of the FCT and Kaduna orientation camps, said they were ‘awed’ by the level of multi-agency and communal participation in activities of the scheme.
He urged the Federal Government to keep the NYSC going as it was the supreme model in youth participation and service in Africa.
“Yesterday we went to the Kaduna orientation camp and we saw firsthand the administration process of the scheme it was an eye opener and a good learning experience. Today we have seen the swearing-in ceremony in the FCT.
“We have observed that the organisational structure is very important. In Nigeria you have a federal system of governance where there is a clear division of authority but we have a unilateral system of governance and you cannot equate this.
“Another thing we observed is the multi-agency participation in the scheme that is the army, the police and other agencies and communities including the willingness to keep the scheme going by all.
“The Nigerian model is supreme in Africa; I urge corps members who are serving to strive to do better at serving the country because this venture is everlasting, Kamara said.
He said the team visited the NYSC to see what examples and lessons could be learned and possibly implemented back in their country.
He said the government of Sierra Leone sent delegates to Nigeria to learn from the 44 years existence of the scheme and implement on that country’s National Youth Service (NYS), similar to the NYSC.
He said the visit was also aimed at getting a study tour of the NYSC, find out its challenges and successes to enable the country build a strong national youth service within a short time.
He said “we have researched a lot from countries that have voluntary youth service after graduation from the university and I am proud to say that Nigeria emerged the best example in Africa,” Kamara said.
The presidential adviser said the Sierra Leone NYS is a year old. (NAN)
KRY/EAL
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