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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