The Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, has called for the restructuring of the National Youth Service Scheme to be in sync with global development, by incorporating one year of skill acquisition. Obi made this call yesterday while speaking to over 1,000 National Youth Corps Members at their Convention at Madonna Renewal Centre, Nkpor.

Obi said that the programme of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku revolved around restructuring, which, according to him, included looking at existing structures such as those of the NYSC and seeking ways to make it work better to serve the people of Nigeria more meaningful.

“I am aware the NYSC was formed in 1973 and we commend the wisdom that gave birth to it at that time. It was mainly set up to encourage nation-building and development as well as reconciliation and brotherhood among Nigerian youths. Forty-five years after, the scheme is ripe for thorough appraisal as to make it more involving by deploying it as a platform through which young graduates with engage in skills acquisition, after which funding will be provided for them, based on chosen criteria, to start various trades,” Obi said.

Obi took the opportunity to encourage Nigerian youths to love one another and the country and to shun any form of negative tendencies that will be detrimental to the growth and development of the country.

One of the organisers of the event, Mr. Brendan Okoye, said that the decision to invite Mr. Obi was due to his manifest patriotism and exemplary governance of Anambra State for eight years.