… new directive to govern posting, distribution of Corps members to places of primary assignment

Oredola Adeola

The Federal Government has lifted posting restrictions in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), allowing corps members to serve in sectors beyond Education, Agriculture, Health, and Infrastructure, with postings to select banks, private organizations, and the oil and gas industry set to begin in Abuja and Lagos from the 2024 Batch ‘C Orientation Course.

Omolara Esan, Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, made this known in a statement shared with the media on Tuesday in Abuja, on the sideline of a memo dated November 18, 2024, from Comrade Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development, to the NYSC Director General.

According to him, this lifting of restrictions will take effect from the start date of the 2024 Batch ‘C Orientation Course.

Olawande stated that the ministerial directive aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s mandate to ensure all government ministries, agencies, and parastatals operate in harmony with the administration’s overall vision.

Esan in the report stated President Tinubu expects the Ministry of Youth Development and its affiliated agencies to take a leading role in addressing the issue.

The Minister said that the current NYSC posting policy, established during the tenure of former Minister Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, limited postings to four sectors: Education, Agriculture, Health, and Infrastructure.

The minister acknowledged the concerns raised by his predecessor, noting that while the government funds the NYSC, many private sector organizations have reduced hiring due to the availability of low-cost corps labor.

He further highlighted that the restrictive posting policy has limited corps members from gaining specialized training in their fields, hindering their ability to acquire practical experience essential for the job market.

“Therefore, as we battle the unemployment crisis, there is an urgent need to review this policy to expand the opportunity and access for corps members to serve in places that are relevant to their areas of study.

“Without prejudice to the need to constantly review under prevailing realities, I now direct as follow: Lifting of all restrictions on postings.

“Posting of corps members to, as much as practicable, be in line with their course of study, posting of corps members to select banks and other private sector organisations, including those operating in oil and gas, to commence with Abuja and Lagos.

In a new directive, the Minister has announced the revocation of all previous restrictions on postings, effective from the commencement of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation Course.

The minister stated, “This directive, which comes into effect with the start of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation Course, will apply to all matters concerning the posting and distribution of corps members to their Places of Primary Assignment.”