By Najib Sani
Bauchi
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has warned government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) against rejecting corps members being posted to them by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for primary assignment.
According to him, the youth should be assigned responsibilities in order to enable them to contribute their quota towards national development.
Osinbajo, who gave the warning yesterday in Bauchi during the swearing in ceremonies of the Batch A, Steam I, corps members posted to the state, said one of the objectives of the scheme “is the inculcation of good values and patriotism in the youth who are the ‘future leaders and hope of every society.”
Represented by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Ibrahim Madaki Saleh, he lauded the pivotal roles played by the NYSC since its establishment 43 years ago in the sustenance of national unity, integration and economic development.
He said: “The role of corps members like yourselves in significant tasks that impact aspects of our national life including the conduct of elections, census, national health and immunisation campaigns is one that this country acknowledges and appreciates.
“Let me reiterate the existing government policy that corps members posted to government ministries and agencies should not be rejected. Indeed, government agencies and private sector employers are to assign challenging responsibilities to corps members during their primary assignment. By so doing, they will be fully incorporated into the process of nation building and be able to contribute their quota to national development.”
Also speaking, the state NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Afolayan James, explained that a total of 2, 094 corps members, made up of 995 males and 1, 099 females, were deployed to the state, adding that the NYSC members would undergo physical, vocational entrepreneurship training during the three weeks orientation course at the camp.
“The orientation course content has been designed to achieve specific objectives tailored towards the moulding of these young Nigerians to be responsible citizens who will focus on the development of the nation by imbibing the spirit of patriotism, selfless service, self-reliance and good leadership qualities,” he said.
