From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A total of 1,074 members of the 2023 Batch ‘A’ (Stream I) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to Delta State on Friday subscribed to the relevant oath during their swearing-in for the three-week orientation course.
The swearing-in ceremony is the first in the post COVID-19 era held publicly with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa declaring the orientation course open.
Chief Judge of the state, Justice Theresa Diai, represented by Justice Timi Excel, administered the oath on the corps members at the ceremony which held at the NYSC Permanent Camp in Issele-Uku.
Declaring the orientation course open, Okowa urged the corps members to take advantage of the hospitable nature of Deltans, and make the state their second home.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youths Development, Ifeanyi Egwuyenga, the governor enjoined the corps members to avoid frivolous journeys during the service year.
He further encouraged them to focus on being self employed by keying into the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative of the NYSC.
Delta State Coordinator of the NYSC, Alao Olusegun had said the 1,074 corps members were those who had registered as at Thursday night.
Mr. Olusegun said the figure comprised of 539 males and 535 females, adding that since their arrival at the camp, they have quickly adjusted to camp life.
He said the “corps members would go through lectures on topical issues, physical training, drills and skill acquisition and entrepreneurship training primarily designed to give them an edge in this highly competitive environment.
“The training and other camp activities are meant to toughen our corps members physically and empower them mentally in preparation for the arduous but rewarding task of nation building.
“In the end, corps members would be posted to specific areas of critical need for the enhancement of the rural health care delivery, education, rural infrastructure and agricultural development.”