Brig. Gen. Shuaibu and Next Level Rebranding of NYSC
By Isah Ismaila Gagarawa
On Friday, the 10th of May 2019, the mantle of leadership of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was handed-over to the Nasarawa State-born Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Shuaibu.
Shuaibu, a former Registrar at the Nigerian Army University (NAU), Biu, in Borno State, became the 18th Chief Executive of the Scheme.
I mean, our NYSC, the Scheme that has continuously serve as a veritable tool in fostering national unity and also promoting inter-cultural religious cum cultural harmony, among Nigerian youths.
It is now one year since he came on board, but our indefatigable Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Shuaibu has remained committed to the onerous task of piloting the affairs of NYSC as its Director General, in a manner that is so awe-inspiring, dazzling and even mystifying.
He has used his vast administrative prowess and uncommon leadership acumen to facilitate the strengthening of NYSC, the only ‘youths-focused’ institution, with active presence in all 774 local governments in the country.
Concerned with the development of the Scheme, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu’s Midas touch has, within a spate of twelve months, impacted positively on key areas of NYSC, especially youths-entrepreneurship.
Immediately after assuming office, he unveiled his policy thrust, aimed at harnessing corps members’ potential for their optimal and personal growth.
He has since improved the security of corps members and welfare of staff, while technologically driving the Scheme for effective service-delivery.
Thanks to his outstanding leadership, the collaboration existing between NYSC and relevant stakeholders have been strengthened. We cannot forget so easily how he quickly revived several NYSC ventures and SAED programme.
Presently, ‘our’ NYSC is in partnership and synergy with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the International Labor Organizations (ILO), to mention just a few.
The synergies are in the areas of health provision, fighting corruption and tackling the menace of fake results possessed by dubious corps members, and also job creation/self-employment.
To make SAED, our ‘darling’ skills acquisition program robust and productive, the DG further collaborated with ILO to empower and create skills centers in all parts of the country.
This, perhaps, may have prompted the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada, to commission a research, seeking to evaluate the impact of the SAED programme in the country.
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To build a motivated workforce that will help him drive the Scheme’s mandate and also actualize his personal visions for the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu has so far ensured that staff are promptly paid their entitlements, emoluments and other allowances. This is in addition to organizing capacity-building workshops/trainings and regular promotion exercise, also for staff.
If anything, the threats on corps members’ lives may soon become a thing of the past, as the DG, who is imbued with deep knowledge of security provision, has introduced a novel policy, due to pervading insecurity across the country.
This policy now affords corps members the right of choosing, either to serve or not to serve in the Northeast, while the country continues to find a lasting solution to the menace of insurgency, banditry and other security challenges–for now.
Brig. Gen. Shuaibu, has also created and set up lucrative ventures that will help to generate and boost NYSC’s revenue-generation capacity.
They include garment factories, table water production factories, poultry farms, and bakeries, among others.
Across several orientation camps in the country, a first-time visitor will not fail to see the above-mentioned facilities.
It is gratifying to note that the revenues generated from these ventures have made NYSC self-reliant, while also tackling the problem of inadequate funding by the Federal Government.
In other words, they have complemented the efforts of FG in funding the scheme.
A situation that has not only paved way for an improved capacity to address the need of corps members and staff, but also that of host communities, as well.
Though they are not civil servants, but corps members are now almost at par with workers in the country. Small wonder, they are thanking, and at the same time, singing the praises of their charismatic DG, Brig. Gen. Shuiabu, whose ‘labour activism’, perhaps facilitated the payment of N33,000, as their “allawee”, henceforth.
Then, not too long ago, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim also facilitated the securing of an operational license for the Scheme’s proposed radio station.
The NYSC radio will greatly serve as a platform for publicizing the laudable activities of the Scheme, while also debunking fake news about issues that have to do with NYSC itself.
How about the radio station presenting a unique opportunity for corps members to learn broadcasting skills, particularly those who are graduates of mass communication.
For an administrator per excellence who has continue to redefine leadership in the most exemplary style, one can only imagine how far Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Shuaibu will take NYSC, before his tenure winds up.
Admitted, he has carved a niche for himself and also written his name in gold as the 18th NYSC DG, but for sure, he still remain the Scheme’s CEO for now.
And if it is the Brig. Gen. Shuaibu, that we all have come to know, he is not yet tired. He will still continue doing the good works he has started in NYSC. He will not relent till he actualizes the dreams of the Scheme’s founding fathers.
May our Good Lord be his strength.
Gagarawa is a serving Corp member with PRNigeria in Abuja. He can be reached via [email protected]
