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The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim on Wednesday paid an unannounced visit to the Ondo State orientation camp in Ikare-Akoko where the 2019 Batch B Stream 2 corps members are observing the mandatory orientation course.
While addressing the corps members, the Ibarahim assured that as DG, he would always treat their safety as a priority. He however begged the corps members to desist from making unauthorized journeys and engaging in adventures that put them in harms way.
His words: “I am talking to you not only as the Director General of this laudable scheme but as a father who knows and understands very well the psychological trauma parents go through when they lose a child they have invested a lot in to bring glory to such families.
“Please, I am begging you to desist from making frivolous and unauthorised journeys. When the unexpected happens, I am always very sad to console and explain to parents that we have lost their son or daughter”.
According to the DG, any corps member caught embarking on unapproved journey will face the full wrath of the law in line with the NYSC Establishment Act.
The NYSC boss also cautioned the members of the service corps not to drag the name of the scheme into disrepute through unguarded use of social media and improper dressing.
“As a nation, we know that we are passing through challenges, he said. “NYSC wants you participate in the programme so that you can proffer solutions and not to add more burden to its existence by using the social media negatively”.
Speaking on the benefit of the NYSC to the corps members as well as to the nation, Brigadier-General Ibrahim said: “The unity of this country lies in your hands and you can only support the Federal Government by agreeing to give your very best through meaningful service to your fatherland outside your comfort zone.
“If not for this progressive scheme, some of you for instance, undertake all your educational pursuit in Ibadan, want to work in Ibadan and still want to marry in Ibadan but for the pragmatic approach of NYSC, you would have remained a local champion”.
He added: “Our administration has vowed to deal ruthlessly with recalcitrant corps members who put our corporate identity to disrepute by dressing shabbily, casually and inappropriately. All the State Coordinators have been empowered to enforce this right way of dressing by investing in large banners to showcase the appropriate and correct ways of wearing NYSC uniform”.
The NYSC boss encouraged corps members to embrace entrepreneurship, stressing: “Your academic qualifications are no doubt intimidating and outstanding but I want to encourage you to embrace both in-camp and post camp training of SAED (Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the NYSC) to make yourself budding entrepreneurs and captains of industries.
“NYSC has put in place adequate measures with collaborating financial institutions such as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bank of Industry (BOI), Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and some commercial banks to assist corps members with take off grants and loans with a single digit interest rate to stabilise you during and after the service year”.
The General advised the young graduates not to influence their postings to places of primary assignment, arguing that it is best to allow fate to have its way in line with God’s plan.
The DG who had acting Director, Special Duties, Mr. Adeola James Afolayan on his entourage had earlier inspected facilities where the
The State Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Akpabio, had earlier taken the DG and members of his entourage on an inspection tour of the ongoing developmental projects on the camp.