From Maurice Okafor, Enugu.
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, South East Zone, is seeking collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Enugu for the control proliferation of light weapons.
The Coordinator of the centre, Major Gen. Okechukwu Ugo (Rtd) made the appeal when he paid a courtesy visit to the State Coordinator, NYSC, Enugu State, Mrs. Christiana Salmwang,yesterday.
Ugo explained that the Federal Government established the agency to halt the high rate of circulation of illicit arms in the country.
He said that the Federal Government found it necessary to aid the military by applying nonkinetic methods of advocacy, mentoring and caution to control insecurities in the country.
The coordinator acknowledged the NYSC as a leading agency when it comes to dealing with the Youths.Therefore the need to partner with NYSC management in reaching out to the youths, sensitise them, change their mindset, and help them switch to positive ways of life by becoming vanguards against the circulation of illicit arms.
Responding,the State Coordinator NYSC, Enugu State, Mrs. Christiana Salmwang said, “The initiative is a welcome development, with illicit arms flying around the country, to prevent it from landing in the wrong hands, there is no better time to partner with us than now.”
Salmwang said that NYSC had over the years partnered with different agencies and a partnership with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons would be a good one.
She advised the agency to write to the NYSC Director General for permission to sensitise corps members during the forthcoming orientation course.
She assured Major General Ugo(rtd) that with the Director General’s approval the initiative would be incorporated into the orientation course time-table.
