Brig.-Gen.
Sulyman Kazaure, Director-General, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), on
Monday told the Senate that lack of funds may stall mobilising 2016 Batch A
Stream 2 prospective corps members for orientation.
The
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that orientation for the batch is expected
to commence on Friday in 37 camps across the country. Kazaure
told the Senate Committee on Sports in Abuja that the money required for the
exercise was yet to be provided.
He
said that the NYSC had written several letters requesting for the money but
that as at Monday, it was yet to receive response from the Federal Government.
According
to him, we had written to Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Finance, Budget
and the Presidency even before the end of the orientation camp for Batch A,
Stream One.
``We
are presently at a loss in NYSC now as there is no money for us to mobilise
thousands of prospective corps members in the Batch A Stream 2 to camp this
Friday.
``This
is in spite of efforts made by us to get things done in that direction several
weeks ago.
``The
problem staring us in the face arose from the N13 billion shortfall we had in
the 2016 budget estimate which the agency made strong request for its provision
during budget defence,” he said.
Kazaure,
however, expressed the hope that the presidency may make last minute
intervention by providing ``the urgently-needed fund for the programme’’.
He
told the committee that the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari had
invited the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalong, to see him over the
matter.
In
his remark, Chairman of the Senate committee, Sen. Obinna Ogba (PDP Ebonyi
Central), assured the NYSC that the senate would intervene in the matter.
He
said that the senate would convene a meeting during the week for all the
parties concerned, including Ministries of Finance and Budget, to find a quick
solution to the problem.
``We
have listened to you and we are also disturbed by the problem at hand as
regards paucity of funds for mobilisation of prospective corps members.
``NYSC
is not something to joke with; even if it is through urgent supplementary
budget provisions, the problem must be quickly tackled by the Federal
Government," he said. (NAN)
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