Education

PS Makes Case for Upward Review of Corps Members’ Allowance

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By Amos ogunrinde

The Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Ayodele Adeyanju wants the management of NYSC to consider an upward review of the monthly allowance of corps members in the country.

Mr Adeyanju who made the call in Ado Ekiti while delivering a lecture as part of the activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of NYSC noted that the current allowance could no longer cater for the needs of corps members due to the economic situation in Nigeria.

He explained that all sectors of the nation’s economy had felt the impact of corps members since the establishment of the scheme on the 22nd of May 1973 by the then military Head of State, Retired General Yakubu Gowon, and the youth should not be allowed to suffer.

Mr Adeyanju said corps members had also been playing an active role in the nation’s electoral process through the memorandum of understanding between the NationaI Youth Service Corps, NYSC, and the independent NationaI Electoral Commission, INEC.

The Permanent Secretary however appealed to corps members to continue to Foster NationaI Unity and development which were parts of the reasons for the establishment of the scheme.

Earlier, the NYSC state coordinator, Mrs Mary Chikezie described the scheme as an instrument for NationaI Development, peaceful coexistence, inter-ethnic marriages, and job creation through skills acquisition.

High points of the event was the award given to outstanding personalities for supporting NYSC and display of good produced by the corps members through Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED.

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Education

Shun Local Politics, NYSC Warns Corps Members

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Ahead of the 2023 general elections, corps members have been warned against involvement in the local politics of their host communities.

The Acting Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC Mrs Christy Uba gave the warning in an address presented at the closing ceremony of the orientation course for members of the Batch C Stream II orientation exercise.

Mrs Uba told the corps members that much was expected from them by Nigerians, particularly as some of them would be engaged in various duties in the electoral exercise; hence they must be seen always as neutral and forthright.

In the address delivered through the Osun State Coordinator of the scheme, Mrs Abduwahab Olayinka, the Director General also charged the participants to be of good conduct in their places of primary assignment and make an enduring impact not just through their daily assignment, but through individual and a group project.

“In keeping with the objectives of the Scheme, you are expected to integrate into your host communities while also appreciating and respecting their cultures. I enjoin you to undertake personal and group Community Development Service projects that will help to uplift the living standard of the people of your host communities.”

She also advised them to take the skill acquired during the ‘Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurial Development Programme’, SAED at the camp seriously to serve as a roadmap to building a sustainable future.

“I encourage you to build on the skills acquired by availing yourselves of opportunities for post-camp training as this will go a long way in empowering you for self-reliance. On our part, we are liaising with financial institutions and other stakeholders with a view to providing start-up loans to enable you to actualize your business dreams.” 

Mrs Uba called on the corps members to be security conscious in the course of their service, warning them against long journeys, avoid isolation and other acts inimical to their well-being.

“Travelling at night will not only increase the risk of accidents but also make rescue difficult. You are, therefore, advised to always cut short your trips from six o’clock in the evening and pass the night at NYSC Lodges, military barracks and other locations officially designated as safe. Furthermore, you should board vehicles only at approved motor parks so as to avoid falling into the hands of criminals”.

The Acting DG lauded the commitment of the Federal, State and Local governments to the NYSC as well as traditional rulers, residents of host communities and corps employers.

In Osun State, a total of thousand and seventy graduates of different institutions participated in the Batch C Stream II orientation exercise.

Similarly, the Acting Director-General, National Youths Service Corps, Mrs Christy Uba, has described NYSC as a non-political Scheme, hence corps members are expected to be apolitical, sustain the spirit of patriotism, self-reliance, hard work and other enviable virtues during their service year.

The Acting DG stated this in a message to the closing ceremony of the 2022 Batch ‘C’ Stream II Orientation Course held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ise-Orun/Emure Ekiti State.

The Acting DG, who was represented by the NYSC Ekiti State Coordinator, Mrs Mary Nnenna Chikezie stressed that the integration of Corps members into their host communities is one of the objectives of the Scheme.

Therefore, Corps members are o respect the Culture and traditions of their host communities so as to enjoy their service year. 

She reiterated the need for corps members to progress in post-camp Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED training as the scheme is in partnership with financial institutions to provide start-up loans to corps members. 

According to her, ” I would like to remind you of the Oath of allegiance you took in which you pledged to accept posting in good faith. I enjoin you to perform your duties with diligence and be guided by the provisions of the NYSC Act and Bye-Laws as well as workplace rules and regulations.” Acting DG said.

“In keeping with the objectives of the Scheme, you are expected to integrate into your host communities while also appreciating and respecting their cultures. You must desist from meddling in their local politics. Furthermore, I enjoin you to undertake personal and group Community Development Service projects that will help uplift the living standard of the people of your host communities,” she added. 

Mrs Christy Uba equally reminded the corps members to be good ambassadors of both the scheme and their families.

The NYSC Acting DG further appealed to organisations and government authorities to give preference to the corps members in order to enable them to develop their potential and attain greater heights.

Adenitan Akinola/Amos Ogunrinde

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Education

Key into SAED Programme, NYSC Tells Corps Members

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Relevant stakeholders should support the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC Trust Fund and the success of the scheme’s Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, HIRD.

The Acting Director General of NYSC, Mrs Christy Uba stated this during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2022 batch C stream 2 corps members held at the Oyo NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Iseyin.

Speaking through the Oyo State coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Grace Ogbuogebe, the Acting DG explained that the trust fund when approved would address challenges of infrastructure and provide start-up capital for corps members.

She noted that the health initiatives when operational had the aim of providing easier access to free and qualitative healthcare for the rural poor.

While enjoining the corps members to eschew social vices and the use of social media in fuelling hatred and spreading fake news, the DG said the corps members should rather use social media to promote national unity and development.

She stated that NYSC would continue to work with relevant stakeholders towards achieving the success of the programme.

Mrs Uba advised the corps members to abide by the rules guiding NYSC camping and avail themselves of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programmes put in place by the scheme for their self-sustenance in future.

Radio Nigeria observed that 1,131 corps members comprising 454 males and 677 females were posted to Oyo State. Some corps members were vacated from Lagos to Oyo State NYSC Orientation Camp for the three weeks orientation exercise.

The corps members were earlier administered an oath of allegiance by the Chief Judge of Oyo state, Justice Munktar Abimbola who was represented at the occasion by Honourable Justice Iyabo Yerinma.

Similarly, at the orientation programme held for corps members deployed to Osun State, Mrs Christy Uba charged corps members to rededicate themselves to the central focus of the scheme, which is the integration of the various ethnic groups in Nigeria in the interest of national development and progress.

This is contained in her message to the swearing-in ceremony of the 2022 Batch C stream II corps members posted to Osun State.

In the message, which was delivered by the Osun State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Abduwahab Olayinka at the scheme’s orientation camp at Ede, the Acting Director General urged the corps members to note that the unity of Nigeria as a formidable country is the most valuable treasure for all citizens.

“Your deployment to states apart from your origin and also your assemblage here from the diverse ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds is in pursuant to this noble objective. This will not only offer you the opportunity for a broader understanding of the country but also entrench the culture of working together in an atmosphere filled with friendship, peace, harmony, and a shared vision of a great and prosperous Nigeria.”

Mrs Uba advised the participants to take the orientation course more seriously. “It is expected to guide your conduct in the service year as well as have a significant influence on your life after service. You are also enjoined to acquaint yourselves with the provisions of the NYSC Act and the NYSC Bye-Laws”.

The NYSC Acting Director General appealed to all stakeholders to render support towards the success of the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD), which is aimed at providing easy access to free and qualitative Health care.

Mrs Abduwahab Olayinka called on the corps members to avail themselves of the opportunity the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurial Development Programme offers as white-collar job is not easy to come by.

Rotimi Famakin/Adenitan Akinola

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Education

Avoid Hate Speech – NYSC DG Charges Corps Members

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As the 2021 Batch C Stream 1 corps members in Oyo State proceed to their places of primary assignment to commence their one-year national service, the corps members have again been warned to avoid using the social media platform to spread hate speech.

The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim gave the warning during the official closing of the orientation camp of the Batch C Stream 1 Corps members at the Orientation Camp in Iseyin.

Speaking through the Oyo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Grace Ogbuoegebe, Brigadier General Ibrahim said the corps members should not be speculative about issues but use the media platform for self-development as well as seek more information from the official website of the scheme.

Brigadier General Ibrahim who said the corps members should make themselves available for COVID-19 vaccination said the vaccine was mandatory as the December 1st deadline given by the federal government might affect them in their primary places of assignment.

While reassuring the corps members of the resolve of the scheme to liaise with financial institutions and stakeholders to provide start-up loans to enable them to implement the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, SAED, the NYSC DG advised the corps members to be security-conscious and avoid acts capable of tarnishing the image of NYSC and the institutions they were representing.

Rotimi Famakin