The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, on Thursday, clarified that the Federal Government had yet to approve Adire as the new uniform for members of the National Youth Service Corps, hours after his comments on the proposed change generated widespread reactions.

In a statement published on his official X handle, Olawande said reports suggesting that Adire had been adopted to replace the iconic khaki uniform misrepresented his remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

The minister explained that while he mentioned Adire and Ankara during the interview, they were only examples of proposals being considered as part of the ongoing reform of the scheme, adding that “No final decision has been taken on the fabric or design.”

“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 stated.

According to Olawande, the government is considering options that “tick all the right boxes in terms of professional outlook, a unique national identity, durability, functionality, cost-effectiveness, and the projection of national pride.”

He said any eventual decision would be guided by extensive stakeholder consultations and what best serves the interests of the NYSC and the country.

The minister also urged Nigerians not to allow the debate over the proposed uniform to overshadow the broader objectives of the ongoing reforms.

“The reforms are designed to make the Scheme more relevant to today’s realities by improving employability, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, enhancing service delivery, and creating a smoother transition from education to productive careers.

“While conversations around the uniform are understandable, they should not overshadow the far-reaching reforms aimed at empowering millions of Nigerian youths and positioning the NYSC as a stronger platform for national development,” he said.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Federal Government planned to replace the NYSC’s traditional khaki uniform with locally produced Adire as part of sweeping reforms approved for the 53-year-old scheme.

Speaking on Channels Television, Olawande had said, “It’s Adire,” explaining that the move was intended to promote local textile production and keep government spending within the Nigerian economy.

The proposed uniform change formed part of the comprehensive overhaul of the NYSC approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday, which also includes skills-based deployment of corps members, civilian operational leadership for the scheme and amendments to the NYSC Act

Zamfara State Government under the leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal has earmarked N7.2 billion for development projects across 375 communities in the state, under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), a World Bank-funded initiative. Deputy Governor Mani Mummuni disclosed this in Gusau on Tuesday while flagging off a free project implementation training programme for participants drawn from 158 communities across the state.

He explained that Governor Dauda Lawal had approved the N7.2 billion for various community development projects through the State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), adding that the funds would finance projects spanning health, education, water supply, agriculture and drainage, among others, across the state’s 14 Local Government Areas. The deputy governor noted that the projects would be implemented by Community Project Monitoring Committees (CPMCs) under the supervision of the CSDA, and reiterated the state government’s commitment to providing social amenities to vulnerable communities.

Mummuni urged participants to ensure transparency and accountability in managing resources for project execution in their communities, describing the initiative as part of Governor Lawal’s administration’s effort to extend the dividends of democracy to the people, especially at the grassroots level. He expressed confidence that the training under CSDA would encourage community participation in project implementation, while also promoting transparency, accountability, and commitment to the development of their communities.

In his remarks, the General Manager of CSDA, Umar Nakwada, revealed that the participants were drawn from CPMCs responsible for monitoring projects in their communities, and that the training was designed to sensitise them on effective project implementation. He stated that the training covered Batch A projects worth N3.2 billion, spanning 158 communities, and assured that the agency would ensure effective monitoring of all projects to be implemented by CPMC members in benefiting communities. Nakwada also commended Governor Lawal for his unwavering support in improving the livelihoods of grassroots communities.

Also speaking, the State NG-CARES Coordinator, Mukhtar Ibrahim, praised the Zamfara Government for its commitment to supporting the livelihoods of vulnerable households. He explained that NG-CARES aims to expand access to livelihood support, food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households and firms, focusing on three result areas: livelihood and social support, food security and agricultural value chain, as well as micro and small enterprises recovery. small enterprises recovery,” Ibrahim said.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the National Pension Commission have recovered over N3bn in unremitted pension contributions from defaulting employers as both agencies intensified efforts to enforce compliance with the Pension Reform Act 2014.The recovery was disclosed in a statement issued by the National Pension Commission on Wednesday, which said the funds had been fully remitted into the Retirement Savings Accounts of affected employees.According to the commission, the recovery was achieved through a joint ICPC-PenCom enforcement initiative designed to address pension contribution defaults and protect workers’ retirement savings.It stated, “The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the National Pension Commission have recovered over N3bn in unremitted pension contributions from employers.”

PenCom explained that the recovered funds were obtained from defaulting employers in the electricity sector and credited to the respective Retirement Savings Accounts of affected workers in line with the Pension Reform Act 2014.“The recovered funds, obtained from defaulting employers in the electricity sector, have been fully remitted into the respective Retirement Savings Accounts of affected employees in accordance with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act 2014,” the statement read.The commission said the development demonstrated the effectiveness of its partnership with the ICPC in ensuring compliance with pension laws and compelling employers to fulfil their statutory obligations.

It said, “The recovery demonstrates the effectiveness of the partnership between PenCom and ICPC in enforcing compliance with the PRA 2014 and ensuring that employers fulfil their statutory pension obligations.”PenCom recalled that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ICPC in October 2025 to strengthen collaboration in the recovery of unremitted pension contributions, the investigation of pension-related infractions, and the enforcement of compliance with the Pension Reform Act 2014.

The commission added that the ICPC was currently investigating several private-sector employers referred by PenCom for alleged non-compliance with the Act, expressing optimism that further recoveries would be made as the investigations progressed.“The ICPC is currently investigating several private-sector employers referred by PenCom for non-compliance with the PRA 2014. With the ongoing collaboration, additional recoveries would be achieved as the investigations progress,” it stated.PenCom reiterated that the Pension Reform Act requires employers to deduct and remit pension contributions into employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts within seven working days after salaries are paid.It warned that employers who fail to comply risk sanctions.“Failure to comply with this requirement constitutes a violation of the law and attracts sanctions, including the recovery of outstanding contributions, penalties and, where necessary, prosecution,” the statement said.

The commission urged employers, particularly those in the private sector, to regularise outstanding pension remittances and comply fully with the provisions of the Act to avoid regulatory and enforcement action.It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting workers’ retirement savings, promoting compliance with the Contributory Pension Scheme, and ensuring that pension contributions deducted from employees are promptly remitted into their Retirement Savings Accounts.The PUNCH recently reported that the National Pension Commission intensified its enforcement drive to ensure nationwide compliance with the Contributory Pension Scheme by launching a specialised, high-level monitoring platform targeting non-compliant subnational governments.The initiative is part of an ongoing strategy to deepen pension reform at the subnational level and secure a sustainable retirement future for public servants across the states of the federation.

PUNCH