The management of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has cautioned all corps employers to upgrade and prioritise the welfare of corps members posted to serve in their establishments, warning that any employer who did not provide accommodation and transportation for corps members would be blacklisted from enjoying corps services.
Director General of the scheme, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, issued the threat while interacting with corps members in Lokoja during a working visit to Kogi State.
The NYSC Chief Executive assured corps members that the Federal Government is resolutely committed to their security and welfare, appealing to states, local governments and other stakeholders, to increase their support for the Scheme.
Caroline Embu, Director, Information and Public Relations, in a statement noted that General Nafiu also reminded the corps members that security is everyone’s business, urging them to always notify relevant security agencies of suspicious actions.
The Director-General equally advised the corps members to maintain discipline, dedication to duty, and shun unwholesome acts, reminding them that they were ambassadors of their families, institutions of graduation, and the NYSC.
The scheme’s boss also encouraged them to take their post-camp Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training seriously in order to perfect their chosen skills before the end of the service year.
He equally reiterated the need to embrace small-scale businesses as corps members, stressing that it is capable of making them entrepreneurs.
According to him; “Be proactive, identify business opportunities within your host communities, and start making some money for yourselves even now.”
While acknowledging the prevailing economic challenges, he urged them to however develop the culture of saving, noting that it was the foundation for prosperity.
“Take your service year as a training ground for future financial management by managing your finances wisely,” he stressed.
Earlier, NYSC Kogi State Coordinator, Mrs Tochi Chika Chris-Moneke, expressed gratitude to the Director-General for the visit, noting that it demonstrated his commitment to the welfare and security of corps members and staff.
Mrs Chris-Moneke disclosed that the Secretariat was planning to conduct a corps employers’ workshop and a Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme in the coming weeks.
