By Jane Okafor
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, has again restated his commitment to the welfare of Corps Members.
He enumerated such welfare to include the provision of conducive environment to enable them develop their potentials for national development.
General Shuaibu stated this while commissioning an ultra-modern clinic at the NYSC Ondo State Orientation Camp in Ikare-Akoko.
He stated that the clinic was anchored on the need to ensure the well-being of all Corps Members – a key policy thrust of the Scheme – as they are a critical national asset that must be taken care of.
The DG implored the camp participants to effectively utilise the clinic and ensure adequate maintenance of its facilities.
He also directed that the clinic should provide medical services to the host community.
The construction of the clinic was initiated in 2018 by Corps Doctor, Ijirotimi Gbenga, a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, but was not completed due to paucity of funds.
It was later taken over and completed by the NYSC Ondo State Secretariat, with support from good-spirited individuals from lkareland.
Addressing the Corps Members, Gen. Shuaibu charged them to embrace Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme of the Corps that would make them become job-creators, instead of trudging the streets of Nigeria in search scarcely available white-collar jobs.
“Salaried jobs are scarce to get nowadays and l urge you to key into the in-camp and post-camp training that would make you self-employed and wealth creators.
“Efforts are on-going to establish NYSC Trust Fund that will provide start-up capitals for all Corps Members as you are exiting service so that you can establish your vocational business in line with the skills you acquire during the service year”, he stressed.
The DG added that several Corps members that embraced Skill Acquisition during their service year in the past benefitted from grants to boost their businesses through the Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank, Heritage Bank, Bank of Industry, NYSC Foundation, among others.
Before departing from the camp, Gen. Shuaibu commissioned the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Centre, where he admonished the Corps members to emulate their predecessors.
While in Ikare-Akoko camp, DG laid the foundation of Camp Officials’ hostel.
The NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs Nnenna Ani, informed the DG that the Corps members have been in high spirit and comporting themselves very well as they adjust to the regimented camp life.
“They are disciplined and courteous, readily receiving instructions. “Equally, both the NYSC and non-NYSC officials have been very much alert to the task of providing practical step-by-step training to the Corps members so as to prepare them for their roles in nation building”, Ani added.
