NYSC takes campaign against corps members’ night travels to motor parks

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has directed State Coordinators to take its campaign against night travels by corps members and Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) to motor parks.

The NYSC management advised that the campaign should done before the upcoming orientation course to discourage night travels.

The NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, said this in Abuja on Thursday during the official opening of the 2023 Batch ‘C’ Pre-Orientation Course Workshop.

According to Ahmed, the directive was in line with a recent decision of the management to ensure that corps members and PCMs do not embark on night journeys.

He said, “State Coordinators are expected to take the campaign against night journey to motor parks, transport companies and other relevant stakeholders before the commencement of the orientation course.”

He said that unauthorised journey by corps members was a recurring problem that now became a nightmare for the scheme.

“Consequently, avoidable incidents, such as road accidents and abduction of PCMs on their way to states of deployment, have put us in the spotlight in recent times.

“I, therefore, enjoin everyone to put measures in place to curtail this negative trend,” the NYSC boss said.

He said that the essence of the workshop was to review the conduct of the previous orientation courses in order to strategise for enhanced performance.

“This is especially imperative given that we will be conducting the course at this time when all hands are expected to be on deck for the improvement of security.

“In this regard, we must increase our vigilance and channel energies toward a hitch-free exercise,” Ahmed said.

He reaffirmed the management’s commitment to deepening the impact of the orientation course on corps members.

He said that other areas that needed to be improved on included mentoring of corps members on leadership, economic empowerment of corps members and teamwork by all camp officials.

He tasked camp officials on financial prudence, saying that the economic downturn and its effect on government spending made it imperative to use resources wisely.

On dress code, he said that the NYSC uniform was a brand which, apart from being a mark of identity, should be a source of pride for corps members.

“Regrettably, management has observed that most corps members violate the official dress code and even tamper with the original design of the uniform.

“Therefore, state and FCT coordinators are hereby directed to enforce the dress code both during and after the orientation course.

“Directors are to monitor the level of compliance during routine inspections,’’ he further said.

The Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Ahmed Ikaka, said that the orientation camp, being the first point of contact for corps members, created a lasting impression in their minds.

“It will therefore augur well for all of us to make these impressions memorable,” Ikaka said.

He described the pre-orientation workshop as a forum, where NYSC top management, key camp officials and its collaborating agencies, converge to review the conduct of previous orientation courses.

He said: “This is with a view to mapping out strategies for improved performance.

“The forum is also expected to come up with far-reaching resolutions as well as strategies for the smooth execution of the exercise.”

Ikaka also said that the scheme was working closely with critical stakeholders to ensure seamless conduct of the next orientation course.

The theme of the workshop is: “Enhancing the Orientation Course as a Veritable Tool for Leadership Development and Economic Empowerment”.