By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday began the reconstruction of the abandoned National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) permanent secretariat project in Yaba with a groundbreaking ceremony, ending more than four decades of uncertainty.
Speaking at the ceremony in Lagos, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, described the project as a major milestone in preserving the scheme’s legacy in the state.
Ogunlende said the resuscitation of the project marked a defining moment in restoring the NYSC’s permanent secretariat.
“This restoration is historic. Preserving this monument will remind future generations that our administration recovered the NYSC secretariat and secured an enduring legacy for Lagos youths,” he said.
The commissioner urged the scheme to preserve the historic statue on the site, describing it as a symbol of continuity, institutional memory and the government’s commitment to protecting the state’s heritage.
In her goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Toyin Oke-Osanyitolu, said completion of the project would strengthen youth service administration in Lagos.
Oke-Osanyitolu expressed confidence that the permanent secretariat would become one of the best in the country, reflecting the state’s commitment to youth development, improved service delivery and sustainable institutional growth.
Also speaking, the Southwest Area Officer, Mrs Grace Elabor, commended the Lagos State Government for its support for the scheme and expressed confidence that the project would achieve its intended purpose on completion.
Earlier, the Lagos State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Christiana Salmwang, said the groundbreaking ceremony would restore the scheme’s history, renew hope for members of staff and corps members, and further strengthen youth development in the state.
Giving an overview of the site, Salmwang said the property at No. 1 Industrial Avenue, Yaba, was the original permanent home of the NYSC in Lagos.
According to her, the secretariat was constructed and handed over to the scheme by the Lagos State Government in the early 1980s and served as its operational headquarters for several years.
She said prolonged occupation of the temporary office in Surulere exposed the scheme’s operations to flooding, vandalism and loss of records, making uninterrupted service delivery increasingly difficult.
Salmwang commended Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for restoring the abandoned property and appealed to corporate organisations, development partners, alumni and other stakeholders to support the completion of a befitting permanent secretariat.
Similarly, Mr Orekoya Abimbola, Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Youth and Social Development, urged stakeholders to fast-track the project’s completion to enhance service delivery.
“My passionate appeal to stakeholders is that this project should be completed promptly, with support from government and corporate organisations, to provide the NYSC State Coordinator and members of staff a befitting office,” Abimbola said.
