Worried by the spate of attacks and
continued atmosphere of insecurity in most of the Northern states, the Kano
State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Alhaji Bashir
Yakassai, has announced that 800 out of the 2,129 posted to the state for this
year’s National Youth Service programme have been redeployed to other states.
Yakassai, who disclosed this to
reporters Tuesday in Kano, shortly after the passing out parade of Batch ‘C’ of
the corps members, stated that some of those redeployed are contemplating
cancelling their redeployment.
“As at today, about 700 corps members
have been redeployed out of 2,129 posted to the state. The doors are still open
to whoever wishes to be redeployed for one reason or the other, in accordance
with the NYSC guidelines,” he said.
He stated that no corps members would
be posted to banks or companies they perceive to be lucrative, instead, they
would be posted to rural areas where their services are mostly required,
especially in agriculture, health care and education sectors, while the married
corps members would serve in the state capital.
Also speaking, the state governor,
Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, warned that no corps member posted to government
establishments should be rejected.
Kwankwaso, who was represented by the
state deputy governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, urged corps members to be
ready, at all times, to contribute their quota to salvage the country for
better development.
The governor also advised corps
members to forget the era of white collar jobs by bracing up to face the
challenge of the global economic slowdown so that they can become self reliant.
However, most of the corps members
interviewed by reporters said though they would love to stay and serve in Kano
State but due to the insecurity in the state, they have no option than to seek
redeployment.
Also concerned about the security
situation for the corps members, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji
Abdulfatah Ahmed, Tuesday charged traditional rulers and security agencies in
the state to protect the lives and property of corps members serving in Kwara.
Ahmed gave the charge at the NYSC
orientation camp at Yipakta in Edu Local Government Council of the state during
the closing ceremony of the orientation course for the 2012 Batch ‘C’ corps
members.
The governor, who was represented at
the occasion by the state Head of Service, Alhaji Mohammed Dabarako, said the
responsibility of protecting the corps members should be a collective one and
not left for government alone to shoulder.
He however said that concrete
measures had been put in place by the government to provide the members with
security in all parts of the state. He assured the corps members that his
administration would create the enabling environment for them to apply the
skills and expertise acquired during the orientation exercise.
Earlier, the state Coordinator of the
NYSC, Mrs. Ngozi Ezekwe, advised the corps members to be security conscious,
asking them to avoid travelling without permission, dressing decently and not
to live or move alone.
Ezekwe said that the management of
the NYSC had resolved to reinvigorate the Community Development Service (CDS)
programme and charged the corps members to get involved in more creative,
challenging and concrete development projects aimed at nation building in
communities they would be serving.
She added: “Reflect on all you have
been taught on skills acquisition and work towards being employers of labour
rather than being job seekers right from now.”
In the same vein, the Ekiti State
Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, charged corps members in her state to
work in tandem with the main objective of the programme aimed at fostering
national unity.
She gave the charge at the closing
ceremony of the Batch ‘C’ orientation course held at the NYSC Permanent
Orientation Camp at Ise/Orun/Emure Ekiti.
The deputy governor further pointed
out that in addition to the NYSC scheme as being a veritable tool to achieving
the quest for national unity, government at all levels has since viewed the
programme as a proper avenue for building the moral of Nigerian youths by
giving them the opportunity to learn about the higher ideals of national
achievements.
She enjoined the corps members to use
the skills they have acquired through the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurial
Trainings to improve their financial status and become independent, as well
impart this to their host communities by teaching them to be self-reliant,
thereby reducing unemployment in the country.
Olayinka also assured them of having
a good time serving in the state, stating that Ekiti is very peaceful and its
people loving and friendly, provided they (corps members) stayed away from
societal vices.
Also, the Chairman, NYSC State
Governing Board and Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Chief Folorunso
Olabode, described the NYSC scheme as a major programme that affords the youth
the opportunity to express themselves and to participate in the development of
the nation.
The Ekiti State NYSC Coordinator, Baba-Ahmed
Nurudeen Tunde, disclosed that 2,248 corps members had successfully
participated in the 2012 Batch ‘C’ orientation course and that the participants
had exhibited a great sense of maturity, discipline and great adaptability to
camp life.
He expressed satisfaction that the
three-week orientation programme had equipped the corps members mentally and
physically, to enable them face the challenges of the service year. He
added that the practical training in skills acquisition were additional advantages
that will make the service year more rewarding.