Orientation: NYSC promises strict compliance with COVID-19 guidelines

Director-General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, has promised strict compliance with the COVID-19 protocols endorsed by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the pandemic and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in all its orientation camps in the country.

The information is in a statement by Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, the Director, Press and Public Relations of the scheme on Thursday in Abuja.

Adeyemi stated that the NYSC boss made the promise during the 2020 Batch ‘B’ pre-orientation workshop held in Jos on Thursday with the theme “Evolving a Dynamic Operational Strategy in the Management of Camps in the context of COVID-19.”

She quoted Ibrahim as saying “since the outbreak of the virus in the country, the scheme did not record any case among corps members or staff.”

He added that the management of the corps would continue to evaluate the conduct of the orientation course, as well as restrategise toward enhancing its success due to its critical role as launch pad for the service year.

He explained that though the pandemic posed challenges to socio-economic activities in the country and the rest of the world, the scheme, being a dynamic organisation remained visible, especially through complementary contributions of corps members at containing the pandemic.

He said “management is committed to ensuring that no camp records outbreak of the virus.

“The 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream one orientation course was suspended abruptly on March, 18, 2020 to avoid the outbreak of COVID-19 in the orientation camps.

“In line with the current realities, our approach to the conduct of the forthcoming orientation course will focus on proper induction of corps members on core ideals of the scheme, with equal attention to the approved safety protocols.”

Ibrahim urged the workshop participants to fashion out strategies for successful conduct of the forthcoming orientation course.

He said “there is no gainsaying the fact that an environment that is conducive is crucial to the success of the orientation programme, and indeed the entire service year.

“Management considers as highly commendable, the improvements in camp development in some states.

He appealed to state governments to discharge their statutory responsibilities of upgrading and expanding camp facilities to adequately serve the increasing corps population.