By Grace Omachoko
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has announced that 10 corps members will travel to India on Sunday, to participate in a Youth Exchange Programme organised by the Indian National Cadet Corps.
The annual programme is held to commemorate the Independence Anniversary of the Republic of India, drawing participants from Europe, Asia, Africa and other continents.
This was contained in a statement signed by NYSC’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, on Saturday.
During a pre-departure briefing held at the Indian High Commission in Abuja, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Y. D. Ahmed, expressed appreciation for the invitation extended to the scheme to participate in the programme.
The DG said the invitation, being the second one, was another opportunity for the scheme “to showcase the potential of the Nigerian youths while also giving participants the opportunity to understand the socio-economic similarities and differences between the two countries.”
Ahmed noted that Nigeria is a country with diverse cultures and that the Scheme was “always open to collaborating with agencies both within and outside the country, for the promotion of its objectives”.
The DG also said the ideas the Nigerian delegation would gain from the programme, especially from the Indian National Cadet Corps, would be applied to improve the NYSC programmes while congratulating the Corps Members on their nomination for the event, and enjoined them to be of good conduct in line with the core values of the scheme.
Speaking earlier, the Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Shri Balasubramanian, appreciated the contributions of the scheme to the development of Nigeria and revealed that its selection for participation in the Youth Exchange Programme along with other countries, was informed by its uniqueness as well as similarities with the National Cadet Corps of India.
While promising the corps members memorable and impactful experiences during the programme, the High Commissioner said India would be willing to learn from the scheme’s experiences.
He further expressed the pleasure of the Indian government with the last set of corps members who attended the country’s 75th Independence anniversary and urged the present set to emulate their predecessors, as all expenses for the trip would be catered for by the Indian Government.
“Balasubramanian admonished them to use the opportunity of the programme to make friends from across the globe and also explore the country’s rich cultural heritage, its historical sites, other issues of interest including Indian cuisines”, the statement also read