Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi yesterday tasked the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on the challenges facing the country.

 The governor while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Batch 'A' Pre-orientation workshop titled: "Teamwork: An Essential Ingredient for the Smooth running of Orientation Programme" in Ibadan, the governor said the scheme should not be allowed to die. He said in line with the dreams of the founding fathers of the scheme, it had been able to unite people from different parts of the country.

According to him, the scheme has brought about inter marriages among the participants. Also, the governor said people have been exposed to different cultures, adding "the trend of the scheme is noticeable in many sphere of life. “The management of the NYSC should not allow the dream of the founding fathers to die. They should keep the tempo and keep it up," he said.

 He expressed the determination of the state government to partnering with the management in the area of skill acquisition. He said government was committed to the scheme and support to the corps members. Ajimobi who noted that government support and commitment had led to the state hosting the workshop, said he had directed that the 2014 Orientation Programme should take place at the Permanent Site, Iseyin.

 He said this was part of the government transformation agenda aimed at delivering dividends of democracy to the people. He called on the participants at the workshop to come out with far-reaching decisions that would take the scheme to greater height and bring the country out of her present challenges.

 Speaking, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier Johnson Olawumi disclosed that Orientation Programme should, at all times, be regarded as a national assignment that requires joint responsibility, commitment and response to issues. Therefore, he said all hands must be on deck to ensure that the objectives of the Orientation Programme which were aimed at adequately equipping Corps members to give their best in national service by overcoming all challenges and impediments that might confront them were achieved.

 According to him, it serves as a forum to review the past exercise and introduce new innovations that will promote and sustain best practices in managing you manpower for national development.