In 2022, NYSC TV and Radio Stations Were Established In Order To Ensure Robust Information Dissemination, While Also Serving As Training Ground For Corps Members To Hone Their Skills In Broadcast Media; Elucidate The Efficiency Of This Movement.

 Introduction:

The National Youth Service Corps as a scheme had in almost five decades successfully harnessed the potential of youth graduates as models for defining patriotism, credible and quality leadership as well as economic regeneration.

“These Media outfits will no doubt contribute towards enhancing and sustaining the capacity of the scheme to consolidate its achievement as well as reach out to its global audience. In particular, they will serve as veritable tools for driving our quest for national unity: cohesion and purposeful development.

“I am always delighted to note that Corps members have continued to render patriotic and selflesss".services to our dear country, especially as active participants in the implementation of national programmes such as elections, immunisation, population census, advocacy programmes on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers and HIV/AIDS campaign, amongst others, ”He noted that the establishment of NYSC Radio and Television is part of activities designed to further advance the cause of the scheme.

Purpose Of Establishment:

“The philosophy behind the establishment of these stations is multifaceted They will educate and entertain:

give the scheme a stronger voice to propagate the programmes and sensitize Nigerians on the policies of government, in addition to the promotion of national unity, national ethos, as well as values reorientation. Thus, they will contribute to redirecting the mind sets of Nigerians, especially the youth, towards things that are noble.

”According to Minister Sunday Dare, The Minister for youth and Sport development he stated that, the TV and radio stations are crucial to help disseminate authentic information in the era of unregulated social media and rising fake news. In an era of unregulated social media journalism, we should all be worried about fake news. With the danger posed by misinformation and miscommunication, credible outlets like the NYSC TV and radio are poised to bridge the gap and be a reliable source of authentic information for the youth and the society at large” he said.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said the television and radio stations established by thehe National Youth Service Corps will help sustain the fight against fake news.

Dare, who visited the TV and radio studios at the NYSC headquarters in Abuja, commended the Director General of the NYSC, Maj Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim and the management of the Scheme for the establishment of the television and radio stations.

On April 14, the NYSC commissioned it sultra-modern radio and television stations at its Headquarters in Abuja. The commissioning was done by former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon (rtd). Speaking as a guest on NYSC Radio 88.3FM, Dare described the initiative as a major achievement in the scheme's history.

Thus, they will contribute in redirecting the mindsets of Nigerians, especially the youth, towards things that are noble.

The DG noted that the stations are primarily run by corps members under the supervision of relevant NYSC staff members, and are meant to provide an avenue to train and hone the skills of successive hatches of corps members interested in pursuing careers in the broadcast industry, particularly in the areas of production, TV/Radio engineering, programme presentation, graphic design and content development, among others.

The establishment of NYSC Radio and Television is part of the whole gamut of activities designed to further advance the cause of the Scheme, which today symbolizes national unity, and is in the fore front of raising a crop of youth entrepreneurs that contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Products through their exposure to the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development training.

About NYSC:

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program setup by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. There is no military conscription in Nigeria, but since 1973 graduates of universities and later polytechnics have been required to take part in the National Youth Service Corps program for one year. This is known as national service year. Ahmadu Ali served as the first Director-General of the NYSC until 1975. The incumbent Director-General is Yusha'u Dogara Ahmed.

WRITTEN BY: Olumogba Julius Ayodele

State Code: OS/23A/1617