The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, said the scheme is committed to the sustenance ofCOVID-19 preventive and safety protocols in order to guarantee seamless service year.
The Director-General who stated this Friday during a WEBINAR session on COVID-19 measures for safe orientation camp, jointly organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease (NCDC)/NYSC, and supported by World Health Organisation (WHO), further warned against complacency by prospective corps members and camp officials.
He said camp courts have been empowered to try and mete out appropriate disciplinary measures to violators of the safety protocols.
General Ibrahim stated that NYSC is in partnership with relevant health organisations in the provision of COVID-19 vaccines and urged prospective corps members to avail themselves of the opportunity to be vaccinated during and after the NYSC orientation course.
The Director-General implored prospective corps members to justify the huge investments of their parents and the federal government by making good use of the abundant opportunities for leadership training and self reliance availed by the scheme.
General Ibrahim warned corps members to avoid night journeys and fake news but advised them to be security conscious at all times.
In his address, the Director-General NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, appreciated the NYSC for sustaining a robust partnership with the centre, which has succeeded in strengthening adherence to COVID-19 preventive and safety protocols in the country.
He said COVID-19 pandemic has made large congregational setting unsafe and commended NYSC for for sustaining its programme in the face the global threat.
Dr. Ihekweazu called on prospective corps members to prepare for more sacrifices in order to enhance the success of the forthcoming orientation course, noting that the WEBINAR was to familiarise them with COVID-19 global protocols put in place for effective management of the pandemic.
In their separate contributions, Dr. Oyeladun Okunromade and Tunde Disu of NCDC dwelt on the online COVID-19 registration processes for prospective corps members, staggered registration in the camps, the need to strictly adhere to non-pharmaceutical protocols such as constant hand wash, use of facemasks, social distancing and the need to take responsibility in facilitating a COVID-19 free environment in the camp.
The 2021 Batch “B” Stream II orientation course is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, across 37 orientation camps nationwide and would last for three weeks.
Meanwhile, a corps member serving at Army Day Secondary School, Minna, has constructed and donated 32 sets of desks and chairs to the school as her Community Development Service (CDS) project, according to a statement from DG’s office.
The project was commissioned in the school premises on Friday.
