By Gabriel Dike and Adedoyin Favour
The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim has reiterated that safety and welfare of corps members are top priorities of his administration.
General Ibrahim who disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Ikeja Office of The Publishing Limited, Lagos, said COVID-19 and security challenges are also two key issues NYSC is currently tackling to ensure the safety of corps member and staff.
The Director General of NYSC who was represented by the Director, Press and Public Relations (PPR), Abuja, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, acknowledged that The Sun Newspaper is everywhere and NYSC is also everywhere, adding ”we are here to thank the management for their support.”
Ibrahim said: ”The challenges now is security. Corps members are not posted to hostile communities. NYSC collaborate with security agencies to get information and monitor situation our camps. Corps members’ security is our number priority.
“The NYSC boss said the scheme is a human scheme, thus the welfare of corps members and staff remain top priority of his administration, stating ”we make life better for corps members. Management will continue to accord their welfare top priority.”
He described COVID-19 era as a tough time to do things and that the priority of NYSC is to ensure the safety of corps members and staff. Ibrahim further said the corps member that tested positive was outside the camps.
He said: ”We operate 37 camps nationwide and we have officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in them. We observe COVID-19 protocols. Before any corps members or staff enter the camp, he or she is tested. The safety of lives of corps members and staff is paramount to the management of the scheme.”
He confirmed that NYSC hostels have been re-arranged to be COVID-19 compliance while fewer corps members are allowed into the facilities.
General Ibrahim acknowledged that one of the challenges facing corps members is skill acquisition, stressing ”we train corps members within three weeks in different skills. We are planning to establish more skill acquisition centre in the six geo-political zones.”
He could not state how much banks give corps members after their training because different financial institutions are involved and revealed that there is a department that monitor and also elevate progress made by corps members.
The director general said NYSC community development project has been strengthened and that the scheme now have many projects in several communities executed by corps members.
Receiving the NYSC delegation on behalf of the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, the Editor, Daily, Mr. Iheanacho Nwosu along side the Editor, Sunday Sun, Mr. Chidi Nnadi and the Human Resources Manager, Mrs. Jessica Oje-Humphrey, said The Sun titles have been supporting NYSC as well as cover projects carried out by corps members in different states.
He assured the NYSC management that The Sun will continue to promote the affairs of the scheme in all the states, stating ”we will support the director general in the area of entrepreneurship and community development projects executed by corps members.”
While The Sunday Sun Editor, Mr. Nnadi told the NYSC management that The Sun share the same vision with the scheme on integration, adding ”go to anywhere in the country, you will see The Sun newspaper and also NYSC is in all the states.”
His words: ”We will continue to support what NYSC is doing across the country. The Sun doors are opened for partnership. There are things we can do together to promote the scheme.”
NYSC delegation to The Sun include State Coordinator, NYSC Lagos, Mr. Eddy Megwa, Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Joyce Madaki, NYSC Lagos, Assistant Director, Special Duties, Mr. ‘Gboyega Killa, Personal Assistant to the State Coordinator, NYSC Lagos, Mr. ‘Lolu, Head/NYSC Printing Press, Lagos, Mrs. Olufunso and Photo Editor, Mr. Tunde Adelani.
