Nigeria First commends NYSC management over professional conduct at camps

The management of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) has so far displayed professionalism and excellence in the discharge of their duties and conduct at various camps across the country. A civil society group, Nigeria First movement has said.

The group, which made this known in a press statement on Friday in Abuja, said it came to this conclusion after an assessment tour of NYSC facilities across the nation, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Nigeria First movement said it visited the FCT camp on Thursday and Friday, expressing satisfaction with its officials in ensuring that the scheme does not lose focus on its core mandates.

According to the statement signed by its President, Richard Adie, the group hailed the management over its strict adherence to Covid~19 safety protocols across orientation camps.

From their visit, Adie further revealed that corps members are subjected to coronavirus tests on arrival before they are admitted into the camps while prompt medical assistance are rendered for those who tested positive.

He added that the FCT orientation centre, in particular, has taken other pragmatic steps to de-escalate the pandemic.

The group also applauded the measures put in place to secure young Nigerians who are on solemn duty of serving their fatherland.

Adie, also acknowledged the gallantry of the military and law enforcement agencies for the prompt release of two abducted prospective corps members.

In terms of welfare and other psychological support for corps members, Nigeria First scored NYSC high for the many initiatives that the scheme has introduced for corps members.

While applauding the FCT management for their cooperation, the group said the scheme is even more attractive now despite the challenges confronting the nation and the world at large.

Read full statement below:

We are elated to be here today, in furtherance of our patriotic mandate, as a group that represents the purest interest of our dear nation, to appraise the situation at the FCT NYSC orientation camp in the following areas:
a) The efforts to de-escalate the spread of Covid-19.
b) Measures on the security of the members.
c) Welfare and other psychological support for corps members

Nigeria First has a special interest in the NYSC, a scheme established in 1973, to encourage peaceful coexistence and cultural integration in the country after a devastating 30 months of civil war, that weakened the bond of unity that held the country together as one nation. We are not unaware of the critical role the NYSC scheme plays in bridging the widening gap of disunity in our dear nation. As an outfit that stands out as one of the symbols of unity and cohesion in Nigeria today, at a time when our very fabrics of unity is once again, shaken to its roots, with secessionist calls from some quarters, a Nigerianist organization like the Nigeria First, see it as a patriotic call to ensure that NYSC is better placed to continue to serve its unifying purpose.

The world is yet to recover from the deadly Covid-19 pandemic which since its detection in 2019, has continued to form a barrier on in-person activities around the globe. This has posed a serious challenge for the NYSC scheme, which depends on the gathering and movements of persons, to fulfill its mandate. The resolve and courage in carrying out the core mandates of the scheme in the face of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic is commendable. However, we do not wish to in the euphoria of the many positive impacts of the scheme, lose track on the need to ensure that the corps members are adequately protected from the deadly virus, this is why we have come here today to assess the efforts of the NYSC scheme to de-escalate the spread of Covid-19 in the camps. From what we have seen in this Orientation center, the strict adherence to internationally-accepted Covid-19 protocols; including the provision of many hand-washing points, aimed at suppressing the existence and spread of the virus in the Centre, subjecting all members to Covid-19 tests on arrival and the prompt medical assistance made available to those who are tested positive, have left us satisfied that the NYSC in general and the FCT Orientation Centre in particular, have taken pragmatic steps to de-escalate the pandemic.

May I also explore this medium to congratulate the NYSC, and salute the gallantry of our military and other law enforcement agencies, for the prompt release of the two NYSC members that were kidnapped while on the solemn duty of serving the fatherland. This has gone a long way to reinvigorating our hope in the ability of the NYSC scheme to go any length in ensuring the security of corps members. Their sleepless nights and pressure, coupled with the professionalism and gallantry of our law enforcement bodies and the military, ensured that no member was lost in that condemnable act of banditry and kidnapping. It is laudable that despite the security threats, the NYSC scheme has relentlessly put many measures in place to ensure the security of corps members.

The movement of corps members in company of heavy security, especially in volatile areas, is the greatest demonstration of good faith on the part of the scheme to ensure maximum protection of corps members. Other measures which will not be made public due to the sensitive nature of the issue, will continue to guarantee safety of corps members.

In the area of welfare and other psychological support for corps members, Nigeria First again, scores NYSC high for the many initiatives that the scheme has introduced to provide mental support while ensuring the welfare of corps members.

Nigeria First is satisfied with the work of the NYSC in general and FCT orientation camp in particular, in ensuring that the scheme does not lose focus on its core mandates. The many initiatives of the NYSC that has continued to uplift the scheme and make it better cannot be fully enumerated in this speech, but on the three issues raised above, it gives us inestimable joy to see that the scheme is doing a lot to change the narrative and continue to make the NYSC an attractive scheme that will continue to stand in the way of disunity and balkanization of this country.

Finally, may I on behalf of the Nigeria First movement, express our gratitude to the coordinator of the FCT orientation Centre and the leadership of the NYSC scheme in Nigeria, for the friendly atmosphere that was availed to us during this finding mission. We use this opportunity to advise coros members to be security conscios and complement the efforts of NYSC Management to ensure that they do not put themselves in harms way.