The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called for closer collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to promote national development through responsible journalism, accurate information dissemination, and youth empowerment
The NYSC Oyo State Coordinator, Mr. Peters Kayode, made the call while receiving the executive members of the NUJ, Oyo State Council, led by its Chairman, Mr. Akeem Abas, at the NYSC State Secretariat in Ibadan.
Mr. Kayode described the NYSC as one of the foremost youth development organisations in the world, noting that its core mandate of fostering national integration among young graduates was increasingly being undermined by fake news and misinformation.
He lamented that the spread of false narratives by unscrupulous individuals had created unnecessary loss of confidence about the effectiveness of the Scheme.
The State Coordinator said corps members had continued to make significant contributions to national development through their services in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and other critical sectors, thereby complementing government efforts at the grassroots.
He acknowledged the longstanding cordial relationship between the NYSC and the NUJ and appealed for its sustenance in the collective interest of nation-building.
Mr. Kayode urged journalists to uphold the ethics of the profession by verifying information before publication, particularly in an era dominated by misinformation and disinformation. He also encouraged media practitioners to seek clarification from the NYSC on issues relating to the Scheme, stressing that accurate, balanced and objective reporting was essential to protecting the integrity of the organisation and strengthening public confidence.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ, Oyo State Council, Mr. Akeem Abas, commended the NYSC for its remarkable achievements over the years and pledged the union’s continued support towards sustaining Oyo State’s reputation as a pace-setting NYSC Secretariat.
He assured the State Coordinator of the Council’s readiness to work closely with the Scheme in promoting its programmes while preserving the cordial relationship between both organisations.
Mr. Abas also stressed the need for stronger collaboration between government institutions and the media to tackle the growing challenges of fake news, cybercrime and insecurity, emphasising that responsible journalism anchored on truth, accuracy and objectivity remains indispensable to national development.
