The House Committee on Youth Development has called on Niger state government to address the issue of infrastructure deficit at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in the state.
Mr Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Committee, made the call during a courtesy visit to Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger in Minna on Wednesday.
He described NYSC as a major platform that binds Nigerians together to interact and share ideas and culture, adding that it was necessary to ensure that infrastructure were provided to ensure continuity.
“By responsibility, the Federal and the state government has enormous role to play and Niger has been doing that for a long time, but from our observation during our visit to the camp and interaction with corps members, we saw that there is a lot that the state need to cover to make this scheme moving.
“This is because, the future of our country rest on the shoulder of these youths and we must do everything possible to encourage them for their development,” he said.
Adaramodu appealed to the state government to provide more bedding, access road, more boreholes and more facilities at the permanent orientation camp to make the corps members comfortable.
Responding, Bello said that government was making efforts to provide a befitting orientation camp for corps members posted to the state.
“We have heard your observations and we will take your observations very seriously to improve on camp facilities because we have a cordial relationship with NYSC and other federal institutions in the state.
“Even with the scarcity of resources, we will hasten with our plans to complete the orientation camp so as to provide a befitting accommodation for the corps members,” he said.
Bello, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, disclosed that the state government had made budgetary provision for the construction of the new NYSC orientation camp.
He described NYSC as a scheme that had continued to contribute to the nation’s unity, adding that the state government would continue to add value to all existing federal institutions in the state.
The house of representative delegation was accompanied on the visit by the management and staff of the Corps in Niger headed by Mrs Funmilayo Ajayi. (NAN)