The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Adamu
Rasheed, mni, MFR, FNAL, welcomed the Director-General of the National Youth
Service Corp (NYSC), Brigadier-General Yushau Dogara Ahmed with members of his management team
in his office.
Receiving the guests, the Executive Secretary said that both NUC and NYSC operated in the same space
in the sense that graduates of Nigerian universities must participate in the National Youth Service
Scheme, which came into existence in 1973 under the Yakubu Gowon administration. He added that,
despite the daunting tasks and enormous challenges, NUC and NYSC must continue to work together in
the best interest of the Nigerian University System (NUS) and the nation at large.
Professor Rasheed lamented on the issue of fake certificates that some students paraded from non-existing
universities which their parents were aware and that some of them came and complained to NUC that
they were not mobilized to participate in the NYSC Programme. He said that NUC would not abdicate its
responsibilities and that the Commission would continue to ensure that graduates from recognised
Nigerian universities and other degree awarding institutions participate in NYSC, no matter the
challenges both organizations might be facing.
The Executive Secretary stressed the importance of NYSC and how it was established to foster peaceful
coexistence between the different geo political regions in Nigeria, adding that there were currently 221
Universities in Nigeria and the number was still growing, while there were 2-3 million students currently
in the higher institutions.
Professor Rasheed, who noted that the Universities and NYSC were saddled with a heavy responsibility
concerning the 2023 general elections, thanked the Director General, NYSC for organizing a sensitization
workshop for the Youth Corps members. He wished him success as DG NYSC and assured him that NUC
would always inform the Corps on the establishment of new Universities, so as to curtail the activities of
illegal Degree Mills, whose students were desperately looking for short cuts by getting fake degrees.
Responding, the DG NYSC, thanked the Executive Secretary for keeping the long standing working
relationship with the Corps, adding that NUC remained a high-ranking regulatory body which supervised
the largest elite gathering in Nigeria, with daunting tasks and huge responsibilities. He assured the
Executive Secretary of the Corps unalloyed commitments towards realization of the goals and objectives
for which NYSC was established.
Present at the meeting from NUC included the Director, Directorate of Academic Planning, Dr. Noel
Biodun Saliu, Ag. Director, Directorate of Public Affairs, Haruna Lawal Ajo; NUC Visiting Professors;
Prof. Ibrahim Yakassai, mni, Prof. Emmanuel King David as well as Professor. B.B. Shehu.
NYSC attendance included Directors of, Human Resources, Hajia Habiba Bappah; Corpers Welfare,
Omotade Ayodele, Special Duties, Alhaji Musa Abubakar; Corps Mobilization, Hajia Walida Sadique,
Procurement, Fasakin Bona Adibelo; Head of Reforms, Hajia Ramatu Sanda; Corps Certificate, Ibrahim
Mohammed; Ventures, Momoh Mohammed, SAED, Ngozi Dorathy Nwatarali; PPRU, Eddy Megwa;
General Services, Abdullahi Yusuf Baba; FCT Coordinator, Abdul Suleiman as well as the Ag. Director,
Audit, Alhaji Ubayi Mansuru.