Ikpeazu charges corps members on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship devt.

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Friday called on corps members to endeavour to learn one or two skills during their orientation programme, saying that it would impact on them positively.

He made the call at the swearing-in ceremony for the 2023 Batch ‘A’ Stream II Corps Members at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, Umunna, Bende Local Government Area.

The governor, who was represented by Mr Charles Esonu, the Commissioner for Youth Development, urged them to avail themselves of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) and other life enhancing programmes lined up for them.

He said: “As I address you today being my last to a set of corps members during their swearing-in programme and as the Chief Executive of the State, I want to implore you to cultivate a positive attitude to this three weeks orientation course exercise.

“This is because it will either make your service year rewarding or not, the way you take it will definitely have a big role to play in shaping your
future.

“Therefore, you have to take it seriously and do not allow anyone to derail or distract you.”

The governor, while declaring the orientation exercise open, said that the government would continue to do its part to give the corps members the needed support and enabling environment for them to excel.

The State Coordinator, NYSC, Abia, Mrs Ufuoma Dick-Iruenabere, disclosed that a total of 1,193 corps members comprising 597 males and 596 females were duly registered for the orientation exercise.

She said that the exercise had been properly packaged to adequately instill in participants the ideals and objectives of the NYSC Scheme.

The coordinator expressed happiness that highly dedicated and committed camp officials, and other resource persons from outside the camp were on ground to execute the scheduled programmes and activities.

However, she appealed to the government and generous individuals of the state to assist the scheme in addressing the erosion problem in the camp as well in rehabilitating some of the existing structures.

“This appeal is crucial as several structures are in urgent need of attention,” she said.

Our correspondent reports that the oath of allegiance was administered on the corps members by the Chief Judge of Abia, Justice Lilian Abai, who was represented by Justice Chidozie Nwakanma.