…says kidnapping, raping, not targeted at only corps members
The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig Gen. Johnson Olawumi, has also charged corps members to key into the change mantra of government by being agents of transformation in the various communities they find themselves during their service year.
Speaking at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos, the NYSC DG called on the corps members to embrace value re-orientation, while cautioning them against making comments that could put the image of the country in bad light.
He further disclosed that efforts are being put in place to enlist some financial institutions and establishments, which would enable corps members to access loans worth about N2billion to set up their businesses in a bid to reduce youth unemployment.
He urged the corps members to take advantage of opportunity which requires only their NYSC discharge certificate as collateral.
And in another development, Olawumi says the recent kidnapping and raping of corps members in the country are not solely targeted on them, but a coincidence.
Olawumi stated this during his visit to the Oyo State NYSC orientation camp in Iseyin.
He said: “Whatever case of kidnapping or rape that people might have heard concerning corps members in the past few months, it did not happen to them because they are corps members but a general type of crime that is happening across the country.
“We are working hand in hand with states government and security agencies to ensure the safety of corps members. During the last general elections that was very turbulent, no corps members was injured or lost his or her life. That shows that we are concerned about their safety. I pledged that adequate security will be provided for corps members.”
He assured that the well-being and safety of the corps members would not be compromised in the course of serving the nation.
The NYSC boss also appealed to the corps members to take full advantage of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program in order to become self-employed after their service year.