By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned that employers who fail to provide adequate welfare, including accommodation and transportation, for corps members posted to their organisations risk being blacklisted from participating in the scheme.
Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, issued the warning during an interaction with corps members in Lokoja as part of his working visit to Kogi State.
He said corps employers have a responsibility to ensure the welfare of corps members under their supervision, stressing that organisations that neglect this obligation would no longer enjoy the services of NYSC members.
General Nafiu also assured corps members of the Federal Government’s commitment to their security and welfare, while calling on state and local governments, as well as other stakeholders, to strengthen their support for the scheme.
Emphasising the importance of security consciousness, he urged corps members to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the appropriate security agencies.
The NYSC Director-General further charged them to remain disciplined, dedicated to their places of primary assignment and avoid acts capable of tarnishing the image of the scheme.
Describing corps members as ambassadors of their families, institutions and the NYSC, he encouraged them to uphold high standards of conduct throughout their service year.
Nafiu also urged them to take the post-orientation camp Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme seriously, noting that acquiring entrepreneurial skills would equip them for self-reliance after national service.
He encouraged them to identify business opportunities within their host communities and begin building sustainable sources of income while still in service.
“Be proactive, identify business opportunities within your host communities, and start making some money for yourselves even now,” he said.
Acknowledging the country’s prevailing economic challenges, the NYSC boss advised corps members to cultivate a savings culture and manage their finances prudently.
“Take your service year as a training ground for future financial management by managing your finances wisely,” he added.
Earlier, the NYSC Kogi State Coordinator, Mrs. Tochi Chika Chris-Moneke, thanked the Director-General for the visit, describing it as a demonstration of his commitment to the welfare and security of corps members and staff.She disclosed that the state secretariat would soon organise a corps employers’ workshop and a Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme as part of efforts to improve service delivery and community development.
