The wife of Abia State governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu has called on stakeholders in the health sector and donor agencies to help government in the sensitisation and funding of HIV/AIDS education to avoid a resurgence of the disease.
Speaking during the flag-off of the National Reproductive Health/ HIV AIDS Prevention and Care sensitisation for 2016 Batch A Corps members held at the NYSC Camp Umunna Bende Local Government Area, Mrs Ikpeazu said it is necessary to educate the youths on the disease.
Mrs Ikpeazu described the HIV pandemic as an enemy to all, stressing the need for collective, articulate and right dissemination of information to the target populace in order to halt the spread of the disease.
The governor’s wife commended the NYSC for remaining focused in the fight against HIV AIDS in the country and encouraged the corps members to surpass the achievement of their predecessors.
In her speech, the NYSC state coordinator Mrs. Franca Ifon expressed happiness at the presence of the wife of the governor, stressing that it was the first time the wife of a governor is visiting the camp to fraternise with corps members deployed to the state.
Mrs. Ifon used the opportunity to thank Governor Okezie Ikpeazu whom she described as committed to the enhancement of the welfare of both staff and corps members in the state.
A spokesman of the corps members Mr. Ogunsanya Oluwatanmi thanked the wife of the governor for gracing the occasion and pledged that they are committed to fighting against HIV/AIDS in the state.
To bridge the gap created by inadequate teachers and medical doctors in the state, Sokoto State government has requested for engagement of more youth corps members with specialisation in medicine as well as teachers of Mathematics and English Language to be posted for national service.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal The made this request when the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. General Sule Zakari, visited him in sokoto.
The governor said with his administration’s emphasis on health and education, the need for more manpower is imperative towards complementing government’s efforts.
“We need more doctors and teachers of mathematics and English language. We have a shortfall in those areas. Even though we will boost our manpower by employing more hands, the posting of the youth corps members will complement our efforts in that regard,” Tambuwal said.
According to Tambuwal, government will repair all lodges used by youth corps members in all parts of the state, adding that a review of their allowances has already been approved.
“We take the security and welfare of youth corps members seriously,” he added.
Earlier in his remarks, Zakari said he was touring all NYSC camps to assess their readiness for the ongoing camping exercise taking place nationwide.
He thanked the Sokoto government for prioritising the issue of youth corps members, saying it has boosted the morale of the youths and officials managing their affairs.
The Director-General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Johnson Oluwumi has appealed to security agencies, politicians and community leaders in Rivers state to ensure the protections of Corps members deployed in the state for the rerun National and state House of Assembly rerun elections Saturday.
The appeal was made by The Director, Corps Welfare, Micheal Ahile who represented Brigadier Oluwumi in a security meeting in Port Harcourt, the state capital ahead of the Legislative Assembly elections.
The DG said 6, 880 corps members have been trained by INEC for the elections.
He warned that the youths should not be held responsible for any delay in the elections, especially the late arrival of electoral materials or any other thing, and should be protected and not attacked or intimidated by politicians, their supporters and community residents, for faults that are not theirs.
The Brigadier said, “NYSC has mobilized 6, 880 Corps members for the election. The youths who have already been trained by INEC on the roles in the elections are reportedly going to serve as Presiding and Assistant presiding officers in the polls.
“The corps members are not politicians, INEC or contestants/candidates. They are here on national assignment and they have been deployed on national duty, and therefore we want to appeal to opinion leaders, politicians, political leaders and their supporters not to intimidate or expose them to any form of violence during the elections.
“The government of Nigeria decided that Corps members should be part of the electoral process because of their level of education, their neutrality and the fact that they represent the most organized set of the Nigerian youths.
“The involvement of Nigerian youths in electoral process has gain national and global acceptability and commendations and encouragements.
“I therefore appeal that they be protected. “If election materials did not arrive to any polling unit on time, it is not the fault of the corps member, if the card reader develops faults and somehow malfunctions, it is not the corps member trying to manipulate it to the advantage of one political party or the other; community leaders and politicians should please take note of this facts.
“More importantly, the duty of corps member ends at the time he/she finishes and submits result sheet at the polling unit, they are not to be held for the collation of results,” he appealed.
The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC scheme has cautioned prospective corps members against the activities of hackers sending messages requesting Corps members to go and check their states of deployment online.
The NYSC in a statement issued in Abuja Friday and signed by the Director of Public Relations, Abosede Aderibigbe said deployment of corps members to states for their service year is yet to commence.
The statement said the hackers through a link being sent around refer their victims to enter their login details as well as choices made during their online registration.
The statement reads, “Management wishes to inform prospective Corps members that posting to states of deployment has not commenced; but will be done at the appropriate time in line with our laid down processes.
“The so-called “link” being sent to prospective Corps members is the handiwork of cyber criminals and should, therefore, be disregarded.
“Prospective Corps members are particularly warned not to make payments for posting or change of posting as that is clearly the motive of the cyber criminals.
“Management will inform prospective Corps members as soon as their posting letters are ready for printing online or delivery to their various institutions of graduation,” the statement said.
The Bank of Industry (BoI) has started a training programme for the 150 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) selected to benefit from its N2 billion Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF) scheme in Katsina State.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the three-day training programme in Katsina, the Managing Director of BoI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, who was represented by the Divisional Head, Small and Medium Enterprises (North), Mr. Shekarau Omar, said the initiative was designed to empower the Nigerian youth, knowing that government and the private sector, could not sufficiently address the unemployment situation in the country.
He said: “While the training would help those who already have business plan, but could not translate it to bankable project, the bank’s business development experts would help to fine tune those who were already in business.
“Although the youth corp members are the direct beneficiaries of the GEF initiative, the entire nation will benefit from it. This is because when the youths are developed, the whole of the environment is transformed.
“The number of youth that the government and private organisations can employ is limited. But if we empower these young people to be on their own, and quite a good number of them are desirous to be on their own, they will be useful not only to themselves, but add their quota to the economic development of the nation. The training programme was organised for the beneficiaries of the GEF scheme, to give them first-hand drilling on how to successfully run a profitable business.”
Who will rescue two teachers, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member and a labourer kidnapped at Rundele High School in Agba -Ndele in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State? The abductors have reduced their ransom from N25 million to N6 million. But, their rescue and the reopening of the school, the only one in the community, remain uncertain, reports PRECIOUS DIKEWOHA.
It’s been 31 days since their abduction and there is no trace yet of them. Two teachers, a corps member and a labourer were kidnapped from Rundele High School in Agba Ndele Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State on October 12. The incident is still fresh in the memory of Mr. Sylvester Awute, a teacher, who escaped being taken away because of his injury.
The school was in session when the kidnappers came through a river linking the community to Abuah and Abonnema. The teachers, Christie Mbadigwe and Martha; Mr. Joseph Wofurum, the labourer, and Duru Obinna Chizitere, the Corps member, fondly called Azubuike, were abducted in a commando style. Azubuike’s service year ended two weeks ago.
• Awute
Though Awute is still nursing the wounds he sustained in his attempt to escape, he is happy that he was not abducted along with the others.
“At the time they surrounded me with their arms, they told me not to run. I made an attempt to run through the window. When I got to the other side I met another person. The one that told me not to run became angry and hit me with his gun and I fell down. He told me to follow them. On getting to the water side where they had their speed boat ready, their leader saw how I was bleeding and became angry over how I was treated. He told them to search me and take away everything I had. So, they took away my phone, my money and asked me to go. And they took the other victims, entered the speed boat and left. I think the community needs to do something about insecurity if teachers are to continue teaching in that community.”
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Rivers State and the Ministry of Education have pleaded with the victims’ families to be patient for security agents to fish out the kidnappers.
The gunmen reduced the initial ransom from N25 million to N8 million; and then to N6 million last week. Members of the community say the victims cannot even afford N1 million. The school has been shut since the incident.
Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Elder Ikechi Chimezie, said everything is being done to rescue the victims. He urged the government to assist the community to rescue the victims so that the school can be reopened.
He said if nothing is done to rescue the teachers, the community would stage a protest on the East-West Road in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Chimezie is worried that the school, the only government presence in the community, has stopped classes. He added that teachers were relocating out of fear.
“That school is the only thing we have in this community and now that the school has been shut down. All the teachers are packing out of the community; the community cannot get anything good again. Imagine, since the incident took place, the school automatically closed down and the children are no longer going to school. And if the gunmen succeed in closing down this school permanently what would be the hope of our children? They will have to trek from this community to the next which is about three or four miles away. For children to go to school with that distance is not possible,” he said.
Chimezie said the ransom reduction to even N2 million would not make a difference because the community lacks the capacity to pay. The best option is to release the victims unconditionally, he said, adding: “We cannot afford the N8 million ransom, which the gunmen have insisted is the lowest they can negotiate or they close down the school permanently. But we are pleading with them that we cannot pay such amount. The two teachers receive meagre salaries. The poor labourer’s condition is the worst; so where do we get the money.
“The community has sent letters to Governor Nyesom Wike, Rivers Police Command, the Department of State Service (DSS) and the school board begging them to assist us but as I am talking to you none of them had replied us. So, we have decided to carry out a peaceful protest to create awareness over our plight. Though we got a signal that our delegation is going to brief us at the weekend on their discussion with the Ministry of Education, we will no longer sit on the fence and watch our school close down and children suffer because of the development; we must do something about our plight.”
Some corps members in the state lamented that the rate of abduction of corps members was becoming alarming. They demanded the unconditional release of their colleague.
One of them, Emmanuel Baba, an Accounting graduate, said: “I felt so sad when I heard about his (Azubuike’s) kidnap. We were doing counting and everybody was jubilating when the news broke. We are praying to God and calling on the kidnappers to release our colleague unconditionally.”
Another corps member, Ononogbo Chibuike, a Mathematics graduate, said: “The government should provide adequate security in all the Corpers’ Lodges. Sometimes, they post us to places where we cannot understand their security challenges. I want to beg the government to assist in the release of the kidnapped corps member.”
The Nigerian Democratic Awareness Forum (NIDAF), a non-governmental organisation, claimed that the NYSC has not done enough to get the corps member freed.
Its leader, Comrade Obiajunwo Paul, said: “We are not happy over the nonchalant attitude of the NYSC State Coordinator. They have done nothing to create awareness to the public on how the kidnapped corps member would regain his freedom. We will not take it for granted if NYSC fails to show serious concern.”
But, NYSC Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Violet Apolo, said NYSC could not be accused of not showing concern about something directly related to it.
Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mohammad Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the command was doing everything to rescue the victims.
•Worluh
Mr. Lucky Worluh, a former member of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), is worried by the implications of the school’s continued closure.
He said: “The same community, Agba Ndele, has produced prominent personalities. The worst thing now is that if teaching and learning are not going on there then, there will be crisis. There will be a break down of law and order.
“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. If the children don’t go to school they will look for another school whether formal or informal. They will learn how to steal which for them is part of school; even learning how to kidnap and rob. I have spoken before that this institution shouldn’t be brought down, we are putting more concentration on Boko Haram. What is happening in Rivers state today and in my community is worse than Boko Haram.
“The former administration in Rivers State did so well in building schools. Governor Rotimi Amaechi left office not longer than six months ago and now they are kidnapping teachers. Any society that kidnaps a teacher is a gone society. What is happening here in Rivers State is not happening anywhere in the world even in Iraq. Go and check all the bombings and killings going on; they did not touch teachers. It is a noble profession and teachers are noble people.
Worluh called for improved security, noting that insecurity had made teachers victims to kidnapping.
“Because of the oil and gas deposit in Rivers State, the Federal Government owes us a responsibility to provide security. This is not the first time kidnapping is taking place in that same community and nobody has come to our aid. I’ve not heard that there was the presence of the security agency in that community. Two nights ago, another teacher was kidnapped from her house, there was no presence of security agency trying to find out from the royal highness and support them,” he said.
…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.
The Ogun State government has called on youths to develop their entrepreneurship skills and explore other employment opportunities in the absence of white-collar jobs.
The Commissioner for Youths and Sport, Afolabi Afuape made the call during the swearing-in of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Batch ‘B’ Stream I corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Sagamu.
He urged young graduates to concentrate on exploiting their potential and putting their talents to use.
He said the reality of global unemployment meant that not every graduate would have access to white-collar jobs, thereby prompting the need to be innovative.
“Education should be functional. People should go to school to be able to function independently and create wealth for themselves and others. “Education is about improving lives and we must start inculcating entrepreneurial development skills into our young minds while they are still at school,” Afuape said.
Acknowledging that opportunities for enterprise and access to loans are limited, the commissioner urged unemployed youths to challenge themselves by being innovative and by setting targets for themselves.
Afuape, who represented Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, at the NYSC programme, advised corps members to accept their call to service with resoluteness, dedication and loyalty to fatherland.
“The scheme is designed to equip you physically, psychologically and socially for the work challenge of national integration and nation-building.
“It is also a platform for cross-fertilisation of ideas, enhancing national integration where the scheme provides for you the opportunity to contribute to the task of national regeneration.
“The training you are about to undertake is to prepare you for the challenges ahead during the service year and beyond,” Amosun said.
Similarly, Mr James Afolayan, the Ogun NYSC State Coordinator, said the scheme would continue to complement the efforts of the state government in the areas of education and health care delivery.
“We will continue to deploy corps members to all identified areas of need, especially the rural communities where we shall implement advocacy programmes of interest,” Afolayan said.
The NYSC official said the orientation exercise, which commenced on Wednesday, October 28, had a total of 2,453 corps members registered in Ogun.
Three Batch “A” National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have been detained since Friday by security agencies in Niger State for alleged robbery.
The corps members, who are serving in Suleja Local Government Area, were detained last Thursday by the local government’s security men, usually called the Yabanga, following allegations that they resembled some wanted robbers.
Fellow corps members, who witnessed the arrest, told our reporter that the three corps members were beaten up by the security men and detained by the police.
An eyewitness said the corps members bought some drugs at a mall near Stadium, Kwamba.
Two women allegedly raised the alarm that the corps members looked like those who robbed them a few weeks earlier.
The people nearby apprehended them, including the Yabanga, and started beating them up before the police took them to the station.
They were accused of robbery at an unspecific location.
The corps members were detained since Thursday and denied visitation by their fellow corp members.
The state code numbers of the corps members are: Oscar Owolabi (NG/15A/2225), Jimmy Sodiq (NG/15A/3258) and Dore Sola (NG/15A/2226).
They have been transferred to Minna, the state capital, for further investigation without the intervention of the NYSC authorities.
The NYSC Zonal Inspector in the local government area, Mrs Mederia told our reporter that she could not speak on the matter because the corps members were at their various places of primary assignments and doing very well.
She said: “I am a civil servant; I cannot talk. Please, talk to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO). As far as I am aware, I am sitting in my office and all corp members are at their various places of primary assignments. There is nothing of such.”
A friend, who visited them yesterday in Minna said he was also detained at the police.
According to him, he was released after the suspects said he was innocent.
Pastor Niyi Haastrup of House on the Rock Church in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, has advised youths not to practice homosexuality. The cleric spoke at a send-off for Batch B National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
Haastrup cautioned the youth against the practice, saying it was sign of the end time. The pastor described as devilish, the practice of a man marrying another man, noting that God’s wrath would descend on anyone practising sodomy.
He said: “We should not conform to practice of certain nation of the world or believe in what the world believes about same-sex marriage. It is a sin and God forbids it. We should not tread the path of the street boys and girls who sell their bodies to men and sell their souls to the devil. Some of them do that for money while others do that to glorify the Devil. Let your mindset be instructed by the word of God.”
The cleric urged the outgoing Corps members to use their skills for godly cause, saying: “There is a belief that Christians are dullards and they don’t come first in whatever they do. That is a lie. The bible said, greater is He that lives in you. You will explore the world, because you have the blessing of God that saw you through school.”
The compere, Ms Faith Ukpai, gave the Corps members an opportunity to share their experiences in Calabar during their service year.
The event featured the music ministration by Kelvin Sap, Moses Umoh’s crew, Vighor and Co., among others. Adviser, a Port Harcourt-based comedian and one of the Corps members, entertained the audience.
During the thanksgiving service, which followed the event, Haastrup blessed the youth, advising them to remember God as they go out to look for job.
Some of the Corps members, who excelled in their academics, were given cheques of N15,000 to encourage them. Haastrup said: “We need to encourage Christian students to study hard. We don’t just care about your spiritual life; we also need to care about the academic achievement of our students.”
