Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has commended the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for its sustained efforts in making the scheme more attractive to the youths.
He made the commendation on Monday during the swearing in of the 2020 Batch ‘B’ Stream I A at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Umunna in Bende Local Government Area of the state.
Ikpeazu, who was represented by the Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Emeka Ikwuagwu, expressed delight that NYSC had repackaged its programmes to meet the nation’s current socio-economic needs.
He urged the corps members to pay undivided attention to the skills acquisition and entrepreneurial programme that would be introduced to them during the orientation course.
The NYSC state Coordinator, Mrs Bona Fasakin, said that 689 corps members were registered for the service in Abia.
Fasakin said the management of the scheme had put several measures in place to ensure that the orientation camps nationwide were COVID-19 free.
“We have also gone ahead to make sure that at the point of entry into the camp, every member of the camp community was properly screened and tested for COVID-19,” she said.
She said the testing was in line with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control guidelines, including enforcing the use of face masks and constant handwashing in the camp.
The state coordinator expressed profound appreciation to the governor for reviving the NYSC state honours’ award and being a strong pillar to the scheme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the oath of allegiance was administered on the corps members by the Chief Judge of Abia, Justice Onuoha Ogwe, who was represented by Justice Kenneth Okereke.
