The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has maintained that it took all COVID 19 precautionary measures before re-opening its orientation camps across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory for its Batch B, Stream 11 eligible Corps members, which opens on Tuesday January 19, 2021
NYSC explained this as it reacted to an allegation that the reopening of its orientation camps was to protect its contractors.
It described the allegation is “full of inconsistencies, lacking in facts and accuracy”.
The Corps stated in a statement issued at the weekend by its Director Press and Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi, that “in March 2020, guided by the Scheme’s cardinal policy of prioritising the welfare and safety of Corps Members, staff and collaborating agencies, shut down the 37 camps of the Scheme across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.”
It noted that the proactive move was to safeguard the Corps Members and NYSC officials from contracting the dreaded Coronavirus, an action in consonance with the aforestated policy of the Corps.
“In November, 2020, the Scheme after putting in place necessary measures for safe reopening of camps, and guided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reopened its camps.
“It is imperative to restate that everyone coming into the NYSC camps must undergo COVID-19 test, Corps Members and officials alike. Only those that test negative are admitted into the camps.
“The same measures adopted for the November and December, 2020 Orientation Courses are going to be applied to the 2020 Batch “B” Stream II Orientation Course commencing, Tuesday, 19th January, 2021, with stricter enforcement of all the safety protocols. The NYSC and NCDC are working closely for a successful exercise as recorded previously.
“Accordingly, members of the general public are advised to disregard the unbalanced and cooked-up reportage designed to deliberately create fear and panic in the minds of unsuspecting Nigerians. The Scheme’s management promised to continue to “give priority attention to the welfare of Corps Members and Officials”.
