Brig. Gen. Yusbau Ahmed, Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has assured corps members that the scheme is ‘doing a lot’ to ensure their safety during the service year.
He stated this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday at Magaji Dan Yamusa National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent orientation camp in Keffi local government area of Nasarawa state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NYSC DG had a paid an unscheduled visit to the camp to witness the closing ceremony of the orientation course for the 2024 Batch B Stream II set deployed to the state.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the ceremony, Ahmed said the scheme was doing a lot for corps members in terms of support and sensitization on security issues so that they can be well protected to carry out their national assignment wherever they are posted to.
“Very important lectures were given to them on camp on how to keep safe. Besides that we have issued them with pamphlets on security matters.
“We have also always talked to them to particularly avoid night journeys and stop boarding vehicles on the road side but instead go to approved motor parks to board vehicles. So we are doing so many things to ensure corps members are safe,” he said.
He added that the scheme was also hoping that the federal government would take into consideration a review of the allowances of corps members given the passage into law of the new minimum wage.
“For now we still expecting and hoping that the federal government will do something about it.
“They have always been doing something about it. Whenever there is an increase in minimum wage, federal government on their own look at the plight of corps members
“So we a re always hoping and praying that as soon as implementation of the new minimum wage commence we hope the federal government will also look at the corps members and so something,” he added.
In his address earlier, Governor Abdullahi Sule represented by Mr Isaac Danladi, Permanent Secretary Nasarawa state Ministry for Youth and Sports Development urged the corps members to contribute wholeheartedly to contribute to the progress of the communities they will serve.
“Your service goes beyond mere duty. It is an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of our state,” he said.
He then congratulated the 2182 corps members and camp officials for achieving a hitch-free orientation exercise and also praised their incredible resilience and spirit of service that define each of them.
The governor assured the corps members of his administration’s statutory responsibility to their welfare, security and general well-being, assuring them that Nasarawa state is peaceful and the people of the state truly accommodating.
He then urged them to accept their postings in good faith and also appealed to corps employers not to reject corps members posted to their establishments.
*Rejecting corps members puts a snag on their zeal to serve,” he added.
Also in her remarks, Mrs Salamatu Muhammad, Coordinator of the scheme in the state congratulated the corps members for conducting themselves properly during the orientation course.
She said during the three weeks orientation course, corps members were immersed in the ideals of the scheme, engaging in a wide array of training activities including drills, lectures, value reorientation, sports, social events, skills acquisition among others.
“They have been introduced to the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program, a cornerstone initiative of the scheme that has nurtured countless entrepreneurs and job creators over time,” she said.
She then urged the corps members to approach the one year national service with humility and a spirit of selflessness.
“Focus on making positive contributions to your host communities, serving as examplary ambassadors of your families, the NYSC and our nation at your Places of Primary Assignment,” she said.
Muhammad who urged them to embrace their postings with grace and resist the temptations to seek reposting also advised them to make meaningful impact as they have been trained.
She then appreciated the state governor for his unwavering support for the scheme at all times.