By Crystal Ugoeze
The Minister of Youth Development, Olawande Emmanuel Ayodele, has clarified that the Federal Government has not approved any new fabric or design for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniform, dismissing reports suggesting that Adire had been adopted.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the minister said his comments during an interview on Channels Television had been misinterpreted.
According to him, he mentioned Adire and Ankara only as examples of proposals being considered as part of the ongoing reforms of the NYSC, stressing that no final decision has been reached.
“For the avoidance of doubt, yes, I mentioned Adire during the discussion. I also mentioned Ankara. My intention was simply to cite examples of some of the proposals that have been put forward in the course of our consultations. It was not an announcement that any particular fabric has been adopted or approved to replace the current NYSC uniform,” he said.
Ayodele explained that the government is evaluating various options based on factors such as professional appearance, national identity, durability, functionality, cost-effectiveness and the promotion of national pride.
He added that any decision on a new uniform would be made only after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and in the best interest of the NYSC and the country.
The minister urged Nigerians not to allow the debate over the proposed uniform to overshadow the broader objectives of the ongoing NYSC reforms.
According to him, the reforms are aimed at making the scheme more relevant to current realities by improving youth employability, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, enhancing service delivery and ensuring a smoother transition from education to productive careers.
Ayodele assured Nigerians that all proposals under consideration would be carefully evaluated and that the government remained committed to implementing reforms that would better serve Nigerian youths and advance national development.