Minister Clarifies Remarks, Says FG Hasn’t Approved Adire as New NYSC Uniform

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has dismissed reports claiming that the federal government has approved adire as the new uniform for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

In a statement shared on his Facebook page on Thursday, Olawande clarified that no decision had been taken on changing the NYSC uniform, describing media reports suggesting that adire had already been adopted as misleading.

The clarification followed widespread reactions to comments he made during an appearance on Channels Television, where he mentioned adire while discussing ongoing reforms of the NYSC scheme.

According to the minister, his reference to adire was merely intended to illustrate some of the ideas being considered during consultations and should not be interpreted as an official government decision.

“For the avoidance of doubt, yes, I mentioned Adire during the discussion. I also mentioned ankara. My intention was simply to cite examples of some of the proposals that have been put forward in the course of our consultations.

“It was not an announcement that any particular fabric has been adopted or approved to replace the current NYSC uniform,” he said.

Olawande explained that the federal government is still reviewing various proposals and has yet to reach a final decision on the design or fabric of any new NYSC uniform.

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He noted that any eventual decision would be guided by key considerations, including professionalism, national identity, durability, functionality, cost-effectiveness and the promotion of national pride.

The minister also stressed that extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders would be carried out before any decision is made.

He urged Nigerians not to allow the debate over a possible uniform change to overshadow the broader objectives of the ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the NYSC scheme and improving its overall impact.

The clarification comes after reports that the federal government had replaced the traditional khaki uniform with Adire sparked widespread public debate and mixed reactions across social media.