The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim has appealed to Nigerians to support the scheme’s Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, HIRD through the provision of basic medical facilities and drugs.
The appeal is contained in his address to the swearing ceremony of the Batch ‘A’ stream II corps members delivered by the Osun State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Winifred Shokpeka at the orientation camp in Ede.
Major General Ibrahim said the Health Initiative was aimed at providing easy access to free and qualitative health care, especially for the rural poor who for one reason or another could not access hospitals.
He noted that the wife of Nigeria President, Dr Aisha Buhari had demonstrated goodwill by donating well-equipped ambulances for the operation of the NYSC mobile clinics.
The Director-General reminded the corps members that COVID-19 was far from over, hence he warned them to ” adhere strictly to the outlined preventive measures such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks and the use of handwashing facilities provided at strategic locations throughout the orientation period.”
Major General Ibrahim also encouraged them to avail themselves of the opportunities for self-employment offered through the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED programme because white-collar jobs were no more fashionable.
Adenitan Akinola
From Iseyin, Oyo State: Corps Members charged to embarce SAED programmes
To further make the impact of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC more felt in the rural areas in the health sector, the Director-General of NYSC, Major General Ibrahim Shuaibu has called on the relevant stakeholders in the country to work towards the success of its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, HIRD.
The NYSC Director-General, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim stated this during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2022 Batch A stream two, corps members held at the permanent orientation camp in Iseyin.
Speaking through the Oyo State Coordinator, of NYSC, Mrs Grace Ogbuoegebe, Major General Ibrahim said the initiative which is aimed at providing free and qualitative health care for rural people noted that the presence of NYSC was felt more in the grassroots.
He explained that the rural dwellers lacked access to quality healthcare.
Major General Ibrahim who restated the call for the actualization of the NYSC Trust Fund explained that when implemented, the trust fund would enhance the smooth operations of the scheme by addressing the challenges of infrastructure.
He said the trust fund would also boost the skill and entrepreneurship development programme of the NYSC.
Major General Ibrahim said corps members should get themselves vaccinated and adhere to all covid-19 safety measures.
The NYSC DG said, corps members should abide by the rules guiding NYSC camping and avail themselves of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurial Development, SAED, put in place by the scheme.
While clearing the air on corps members wearing skirts, the Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Grace Ogbuoegebe said NYSC binding rules forbid female corps members from wearing skirts.
Radio Nigeria observed that 2,380 corps members comprising 834 males and 1,546 females were posted to Oyo State for their one year mandatory service year.
The corps members were earlier administered an oath of allegiance.
Rotimi Famakin