Radio TNT 102.5 FM

Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Maj.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, has urged corps members to avoid risky engagements throughout the service year.

Ibrahim gave the advice while addressing the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Corps members deployed to Kogi State at the NYSC orientation camp in Asaya, Kabba.

The DG urged them to avoid night travels, lone movements and acceptance of rides from strangers.

He implored them to report suspicious activities around them to law enforcement agencies.

Ibrahim also enjoined the corps members to use the period of the orientation course to imbibe teamwork, build lasting friendships, promote the nation’s unity, add value to themselves and the NYSC.

The DG said many of their predecessors had made history by distinguishing themselves through participation in national assignments, such as elections, immunisation programmes, population and housing census and COVID-19 prevention, among others.

He also stressed the need for corps members to always be of good conduct, saying they need to always “shun cybercrimes, drug abuse, cultistism and other acts of criminality”.

In a statement by the NYSC Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations, Emeka Mgbemena, the DG warned that the scheme would not condone acts of indiscipline, and that every infraction would attract sanctions, as stipulated in the NYSC bye-laws.  “You are the future leaders of this country. You must be disciplined, respectful, obedient, patriotic and hardworking. Note that the rules and regulations in your places of primary assignment are also binding on you,” Ibrahim said.

He advised corps members on the criteria for selection of winners of the President’s NYSC Honours Award.

The DG stressed that they must excel in all the four cardinal programmes of the scheme, namely: orientation course, primary assignment, community development service and winding-up/passing-out activities.

“Once you relocate from Kogi State or change your place of primary assignment, you are disqualified,” he said.

The DG also urged the corps members to embrace the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the scheme aimed at empowering them for self-employment and wealth creation.