Corps Members have been urged to utilise the opportunity of the three- week Orientation Course to cultivate long-lasting relationship, teamwork and also promote the unity and integration of the country.
NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim gave this advice today during a nationwide virtual address to the 2021 Batch ‘C’ Stream Two Prospective Corps Members and Camp Officials.
He urged the PCMs to take the Orientation Course seriously because of the benefits it offers which include; leadership training, teamwork, tolerance, discipline, entrepreneurship training, among others.
“Orientation is very important. NYSC was established to promote national unity and integration. Don’t allow the opportunity of the Orientation Course to pass you by without gaining anything”, he said.
The Director-General also advised the Prospective Corps Members to obey the rules and regulations in their respective places of primary assignment when posted, adding that the Scheme would not condone any act of indiscipline as every infraction would attract sanctions as stipulated in the NYSC bye-laws.
“You must be disciplined, respectful, obedient, patriotic and hardworking. Note that the rules and regulations in your place of primary assignment is also binding on you. Don’t tarnish the image of your family, institution and NYSC Scheme,” he added.
The Director-General enjoined the PCMs to provide the needs of their host communities by initiating projects that would positively improve their standard of living.
He warned against borrowing money to execute projects, but advised that they source for funds from within the community.
He advised the Prospective Corps Members that they should choose either personal or group projects that could be completed within the period of the service year.
“Don’t borrow money or use your personal money to execute projects”, he warned.
Speaking further, the Director-General said NYSC contributes to youth mobility through the deployment of Prospective Corps Members from one part of the country to another, and in the process contribute to national unity.
Ibrahim added that elaborate Passing-Out ceremony would soon commence which would give Corps Members the opportunity to exchange ideas about their experiences during the service year.
“For you to win the NYSC President’s National Hounours Award, your assessment starts from your first day in camp and you must have excelled in all the four cardinal programmes of the NYSC namely; Orientation Course, Primary Assignment, Community Development Service and Winding-Up/Passing-Out.
The DG implored the PCMs to embrace the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the NYSC which was introduced in 2012 to reduce the increasing rate of unemployment among graduate youths.
He advised them to adopt any of the twelve skill sets during the in-camp training, and thereafter continue with the post-camp training after leaving camp.
“Please shine your eyes and open your minds so that you will benefit immensely from Skill Acquisition training.
White collar jobs are not readily available. However, we have partnered with other stakeholders like the CBN, Bank of Industry, Access Bank, Leventis Foundation, NYSC Foundation, among others and they have been providing start-up capitals for Corps Members with good business proposals,” lbrahim said.
He added that advocacy is on-going towards the establishment of NYSC Trust Fund that would empower Corps Members with start-up capitals to establish their businesses as they exit service. He added that this would reduce the rate of insecurity among the youths.
He urged the PCMs to ensure that they understand the content of the Oath of Allegiance that would be administered on them during the swearing-in ceremony because it is binding on them during and after service.
“As Corps Members, you are supposed to propagate the ideals of NYSC. The unity of the country should be paramount to you and you should avoid anything that will jeopardise the unity, integration and cohesion and you must let the spirit of NYSC live in you. As Corps Members, you must shun every act of criminality, fraud among others”, he said.
The DG warned against the negative use of the social media, but advised the PCMs to “use the social media wisely to promote national unity and integration.
“Follow the right channel of communication in the NYSC and don’t use the social media to promote fake news or malign anyone”, he added.
Ibrahim advised the PCMs to avoid complacency on COVID-19, adding that it is mandatory for all Corps Members to abide by the Federal Government deadline on COVID-19 vaccination.
“COVID-19 is still with us. The Federal Government’s deadline for vaccination is 1st December, and it is mandatory for all Corps Members because you are also part of the federal public service.
Your employers will demand for evidence of vaccination. Therefore, make sure you vaccinate in camp in order to protect yourself and also protect others”, the DG advised.
He appealed to the State Coordinators to liaise with the State Health Officials and the Primary Healthcare Development Agencies to ensure the vaccination of Corps Members.
The DG also advised the PCMs to adhere strictly to all the non-pharmaceutical safety protocols of COVID-19, adding that anyone that violates the safety guidelines laid down in camp would be decamped.
He warned the Prospective Corps Members to be security conscious in camp and follow strictly, the advise contained in all the lectures that would be given in camp.
In a vote of thanks on behalf of her colleagues nationwide, the Yobe State Corps Camp Director, Babatunde Anjolaoluwa Diamond YB/21C/1544, an indigene of Kwara State, lauded the Director-General for his untiring effort towards ensuring their mobilisation for national service.
She commended the management and camp officials nationwide for the warm reception accorded them on arrival in their respective Orientation Camps across the country, which according to her, clearly indicates that the NYSC Scheme remains a veritable youth platform for leadership training in the country.
“We thank you for the fatherly role you have been playing for the youths of this country. I want to assure you that we will make you a proud father”, she said.