NYSC reforms: Tinubu is the boldest Nigeria president ever — Eta

Former national Vice Chairman, South-South, of the All Progressives Congress, Honourable Hilliard Eta, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for seizing the initiative to reform the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The bold move to reposition the 53-year-old scheme was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its meeting on Monday.

In a statement on Tuesday, Honorable Eta, who incidentally is the Chairman of the Board of NYSC, expressed delight over the move by President Tinubu to align the scheme with contemporary national development priorities. 

He noted that the restructuring of the NYSC to equip young Nigerians with industrial, entrepreneurial, digital, and vocational skills capable of driving national economic development was heartwarming.

He described the pronouncement by the FEC “as a defining moment in the evolution of the NYSC and a major contribution to Nigeria’s future.”

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The statement read, “I warmly commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the first comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in its 53-year history. This bold decision confirms my long-held conviction that the scheme requires fundamental restructuring if it is to remain relevant to the aspirations of modern Nigeria.

“As Chairman of the Governing Board of NYSC, I see a clear convergence between my vision for the scheme and that of Mr. President. For quite some time, I have consistently advocated for a complete rethinking of the NYSC, from a program focused largely on deployment to one that deliberately equips young Nigerians with industrial, entrepreneurial, digital, and vocational skills capable of driving national economic development.

“To be candid, I never imagined that a president would embrace this level of reform so decisively. I had always believed we would have to push very hard to convince the government to undertake such far-reaching changes. President Tinubu has therefore demonstrated uncommon courage and visionary leadership by taking this historic step. In my view, he is the boldest president to have presided over the affairs of our country in terms of confronting long-standing national challenges with decisive action.

“The original objective of the NYSC was to foster national unity after the civil war. While that vision remains noble, today’s realities demand that the Scheme also become a platform for building skills, creating employment, promoting innovation, and preparing graduates for global competitiveness. The reforms approved by the Federal Executive Council align perfectly with this objective and will reposition the NYSC as a true catalyst for youth empowerment and national development.

“I sincerely thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his courage, foresight, and willingness to undertake reforms that many considered difficult. I have no doubt that history will remember this as a defining moment in the evolution of the NYSC and a major contribution to Nigeria’s future.”