Katsina State Governor Radda has called for increased deployment of medical doctors and teachers to the state to address manpower shortages, particularly in rural communities.
Governor Radda made the call on Wednesday when he received the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Katsina.
He also announced plans to improve facilities at the NYSC orientation camp, particularly the hostels, and directed the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development to make budgetary provisions to address some of the challenges raised by the NYSC leadership.
Governor Radda said Corps Members had continued to contribute significantly to education and healthcare delivery in the state, especially in underserved rural communities.
Although the state recently recruited more than 10,000 teachers, he said the number was still insufficient, stressing the need for more NYSC members with expertise in English, Mathematics and Science.
He also urged the NYSC leadership to deploy medical doctors and other professionals to areas where they are most needed rather than allowing deployment to be determined by preference.
Governor Radda said his administration would review existing support and allowances for Corps Members and identify areas requiring additional intervention.
Earlier, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Nafiu, commended the Katsina Government for providing a peaceful and conducive environment for Corps Members.
Nafiu said the security situation in the state had enabled the NYSC to deploy Corps Members across Katsina without panic, adding that the scheme considers security when deciding deployment locations.
He said the NYSC has grown from mobilizing 2,364 graduates in 1973 to more than 400,000 annually, with about 450,000 graduates budgeted for mobilization this year.
The NYSC DG also appealed to Governor Radda to consider providing state allowances for Corps Members and thanked the state government for supporting their feeding.
He described the relationship between the NYSC and host states as mutually beneficial, noting that Corps Members help fill critical manpower gaps in areas such as healthcare and education.
Nafiu praised the hospitality of the people of Katsina, saying some Corps Members approaching the end of their service were already reluctant to leave.
“Katsina is home to everyone,” he said.
He also disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved a review of the Federal Government’s feeding provision for Corps Members from next year.
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