Nigeria to assist Sierra Leone implement its youth service scheme

The federal government says it would assistSierra Leone review and implement its NationalYouth Service (NYS).Director-general of the Youth Service Corps(NYSC) , Sule Kazaure stated this when hereceived a delegation from the National YouthService of Sierra Leone and the Sierra-Leonean Ministry of Youths on Tuesday, May30, 2017, in Abuja.Kazaure said the NYSC » would share withthe organisation the strategies it had put inplace over the years which has enabled thescheme to succeed in all areas of itsendeavour.“The NYSC though continues to countsuccesses in all areas,” he said. “It has nothad it smooth. The scheme continues to facechallenges even though we always make theeffort to address them as they come.“Currently the scheme mobilises over 300,000corps members yearly and that is a challengefor us because this number increases everyyear.“We always have to contend with availabilityof facilities to cater for this increasingnumber,” added.Dr Sheku Kamara, the Sierra LeonePresidential Adviser on Youth , who led thedelegation, said the government was‘eternally indebted’ to Nigeria for supportingit in times of war and peace.Kamara noted that Nigeria was by the side ofSierra Leone when it struggled with the Ebolacrisis, adding that it is also coming to itsassistance now in the development of itsnational youth service.He said the team was visiting the NYSC tosee what examples and lessons can be learntand possibly implement back in the country.“We are here to learn from the 44 years of theexistence of the NYSC,” Kamara said. “We arehere to see what lessons we can learn andtake back with us.“Our main aim of visiting is to get a studytour to find out from you what have beenyour challenges, successes and what weshould do to make our youth service strongerand gain success within a short time.“We have researched a lot from countries thathave voluntary youth service after graduationfrom the university and I am proud to saythat Nigeria emerged the best example inAfrica.“Our youth service has only been in existencefor a year now so it is still very new. We wantto try and see that we do not make mistakesso that we can be assured of its success,”Kamara added.