The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)

  • Obaseki charges contingent to restore Edo’s glory

    …as National Sports Festival begins in Abuja

    …says state has capacity to host 2020 National Sports Festival

     

    Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has charged athletes representing the state in the ongoing National Sports Festival, to restore the sporting glory for which the state was known, assuring that his administration has the capacity to host the 2020 edition of the festival.

    Obaseki, who gave the charge during the opening ceremony of the 19th National Sports Festival, holding in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, said: “My state is more than ready to host the forthcoming National Sports Festival as it’s high time we regained our lost glory in sports.”

    “Edo State is known for producing great sportsmen and women and I charge you to ensure you do the state proud by winning medals,” he told the contingent.

    In his remark, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, confirmed that he has received two applications from Edo and one other state to host the festival in 2020.

    Dalung assured that his ministry would look at the ranking of states and assess the infrastructure in the bidding states before giving the hosting right to the most qualified state.

    The minister noted that sports and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme were among the national programmes deepening the unity of the country and called for more attention to the nation’s sports sector.

  • Niger NYSC Camp is the worst ever – Kazaure

    The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Sule Zakari Kazaure has expressed dismay over the Niger state NYSC orientation camp describing it as the worst camp he had visited in the country.
    Speaking on Minna while inspecting the hostels of the camp, Kazaure said the state of the camp does not reflect what he had been told about the camp.
    Commenting to the Niger state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Theresa Ibunkun Arokoyo, Kazure said that the state government has not given the camp its best, “they are not dealing with the camp well”, he complained.
    Details Later  ………………

  • Embrace farming, Fayemi urges NYSC members

    Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti  has called on members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to the state to make judicious use of the rich arable land by engaging in farming and fishery.

    Fayemi made the call on Monday at the NYSC orientation camp in Ise/Irun/Emure-Ekiti  during  the swearing-in ceremony of  the Batch “C” Stream Two corps members posted to the state.

    The governor,  who was represented by his deputy, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, admonished the corps members to also take the skill acquisitions and entrepreneurship training  seriously.

    He warned them against unauthorised trips outside their places of primary assignments during the  service year.

    “Period of the service year should be a period of deep reflection on your steps to take after service year,’’ he added.

    Read Also: Obiano mulls allowance increament for NYSC members

    The NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs Emmanuella Okpongete, advised the corps members to participate actively in the various committees in the camp to enable them contribute meaningfully to the smooth running of the orientation course.

    She also advised them to shun cultism, night crawling and any act capable of putting them into trouble  during the service year.

    Okpongete said 1, 854 corps members made up of 941 males and 913 females had registered at the orientation camp.

    Earlier, the Ekiti State Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, who was represented by Justice Abiodun Adesodun, administered the oath of allegiance on the corps members

    NAN

  • 2019: Ayade urges NYSC members to be neutral, firm

    Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, has charged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the state who would participate in next year’s general elections as ad-hoc staff to discharge their duties with absolute neutrality and firmness.

    The governor, who was addressing the corps members at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Batch B Stream One, orientation course at the permanent orientation camp in Obubra local government area lauded the NYSC for raising the credibility profile of the electoral process in the past.

    This, he said, has culminated in public confidence in the NYSC and the electoral umpire.

    The governor, who was represented by the Head of Local Government Administration in Obubra, Chief Bary Inyang, said over the years, successive governments had rendered adequate attention and huge investments into the programme and projects of the corps members, who are seen as partners in actualizing projects in the state.

    He said despite the paucity of funds, the government remains sensitive to the plight of corps members especially on security and welfare.

    Ayade said the aggressive industrialization of the state is not just to boost the economy, but also to justify the steps taken in furtherance of the commitment to ensure adequate opportunities are provided for capacity building of the youths through job creation and skill acquisition.

    He told the corps members that the people of the state were peaceful and hospitable, assuring them of security and safety across the 18 local government areas of the state.

    He charged the corps members to remain dedicated to the service of the nation in their various places of primary assignment.

    According to him, corps members have a role to play both in the integration of culture and promotion of national unity and that this could be achieved through dedication to the course that has brought them from their various states to Cross River State.

    He went further to advice them to avoid anything that could expose them to danger throughout their service year.

  • 2,100 Corps members commence orientation course in Kwara

    A total of 2, 100 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have commenced the 2018 batch C Orientation course at its Permanent Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area of the Kwara.

    NYSC’s State Coordinator, Mrs Esther Ikupolati, made this known in a statement by the Assistant Director, Public Relations, Dipo Morakinyo, who is also the Camp Director in Ilorin on Friday.

    According to the State Coordinator, Kwara State was one of the 27 States earmarked by the NYSC management to host the second stream of the 2018 batch C orientation course.

    She said the three-week orientation, which commenced on Thursday, November 15 would end on December 5.
    Ikupolati added that 300 camp officials were already on ground to train the Corps members on physical fitness, drilling and entrepreneurial and skill acquisition.

    The State Coordinator added that the orientation course would be officially declared opened on Monday, November 19 with the swearing in of the new corps members.

    She expressed the readiness of the scheme to host the corps members and make their stay during the orientation course memorable.

    According to her, the recently renovated and improved camp facilities are some of the factors that earned Kwara the hosting right.

    “You may recall that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, personally renovated four female hostels alongside two others renovated by the state secretariat.

    “The perennial water shortage on Yikpata camp is fast becoming a thing of the past, as the NYSC Director General recently constructed a high yielding industrial borehole,” she added.

    NAN

     

  • Ayade urges NYSC members to be neutral, firm

    Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has charged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the state who would participate in next year’s general elections as ad-hoc staff to discharge their duties with absolute neutrality and firmness.

    The governor, who was addressing the corps members at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Batch B Stream One, orientation course at the permanent orientation camp in Obubra local government area on Tuesday lauded the NYSC for raising the credibility profile of the electoral process in the past.

    This, he said, has culminated in public confidence in the NYSC and the electoral umpire.
    The governor, who was represented by the Head of Local Government Administration in Obubra, said over the years, successive governments had rendered adequate attention and huge investments into the programme and projects of the corps members, who are seen as partners in actualizing projects in the state.

    Read Also: NYSC decries condition of Niger State camp

    He said despite the paucity of funds, the government remains sensitive to the plight of corps members especially on security and welfare.
    Ayade said the aggressive industrialization of the state is not just to boost the economy, but also to justify the steps taken in furtherance of the commitment to ensure adequate opportunities are provided for capacity building of the youths through job creation and skill acquisition.
    He told the corps members that the people of the state were peaceful and hospitable, assuring them of security and safety across the 18 local government areas of the state.

  • NYSC warns corps members against joining proposed strike by NLC

    The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Suleiman Kazaure, on Monday, warned its Corps Members against joining the proposed strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
     
    Kazaure gave the warning while addressing 2018 Batch “C” Stream One Corps Members, in Ogun State Orientation Camp, Sagamu. 
     
    In a statement signed in Abuja by the Director, Press and Public Relations (NYSC), Adenike Adeyemi, he urged the corps members to remain at their duty posts as loyal and patriotic citizens. 
     
    Kazaure, while reading riot act to the corps members, urged them to be law-abiding and respect the constitution of the country as responsible leaders of today and tomorrow.
     
    He added that there was no provision for strike action in the NYSC Act but services that would uphold the corporate entity of the nation. 
     
    The DG cautioned that any corps member that violated the rules and regulations of the NYSC scheme would be sanctioned accordingly.
     
    He promised that the NYSC Management would continue to strive for the improved welfare and security of all corps members.
     
    The NYSC boss appealed to the corps members to embrace skill acquisitions in order to reduce the increasing rate of unemployment as it would enable them become wealth creators and employers of labour.
     
    Ogun State Coordinator, Mrs. Josephine Bakare, lamented the inadequate accommodation for corps members and Camp Officials.
     

    Read Also: NYSC treats corps members involved in accident

    She called for the expansion of the camp’s lecture hall in order to accommodate more corps members during lectures and other social activities.
     
    Mrs. Bakare said that the attention of the state government had been drawn to non-payment of state allowance to corps members. 
     
    “Corps members with serious health challenges were given instant relocation. 21 nursing mothers and four corps members got instant relocation on health grounds”, Bakare added. 
     
    “A total of 2,464 Corps Members comprising 1,207 males and 1,257 females registered in the camp,” the statement added.
     

  • Bayelsa police battle cultists

    … arrest suspected killer of corps member

     

    The police in Bayelsa State have renewed their battle against rampaging cult groups and their criminal activities in the state.

    It was gathered that having identified cultism as the major cause of other crimes in the state especially, Yenagoa, the state capital, the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Austin Iwar, mapped out strategies to tackle the menace.

    Already, the command at the weekend arrested a suspect cult leader said to be notorious for armed robbery and allegedly linked to the killing of a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Obele, Yenagoa, in 2016.

    The 19-year-old suspect identified as Prince Owei aka Big Fela is an indigene of Ikibiri Community, but resides at Ovom in Yenagoa.

    It was gathered that the suspect was the second in command of a notorious cult group, the Icelanders.

    The slain corps member, James Onuh, a graduate of the Federal University of Agriculture, Markurdi, Benue State, was shot dead at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Obele.

    Read Also: Bayelsa debts: Dickson fires back at Lokpobiri

    The suspect was said to have been imprisoned twice  at the Okaka Prison in Yenagoa and the Ahoada Maximum Prison for cultism-related offences.

    The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, said the suspect was arrested at the Sports Complex, Yenagoa, on his way to watch a football match.

    He said a locally-made revolver pistol, live cartridge and packets of Rohypnol tablets were recovered from him.

    He said: “On 20th September, 2018, at about 1610 hours, operatives arrested a notorious cult leader and an robber who was on the wanted list of Bayelsa State Police Command.”

    “The suspect one Prince Owei ‘m’ aka Big Fela 19 years, from Ikibiri Community, but resident at St. Peters, Ovom, was arrested at the Sports Complex, Yenagoa, on his way to watch a football match and a locally made Revolver Pistol,one live cartridge and packets of Rohypnol tablets were recovered from him.

    “The suspect, a jailbird and a confessed member of Icelanders cult group will be charged to court when investigations are concluded.

    “The Command is determine to   ensure the safety of lives and properties and is appealing to members of the public to provide useful information that will assist the Police in fighting crime in the state.”

    Earlier, Butswat in a statement said the command set up a tactical team with a mandate to deal with cultists.

    He said: “Following reported cases of cultism and armed robbery in Yenagoa metropolis and its attendant consequences on public safety, the Commissioner of Police Bayelsa State Command has charged Tactical Teams to confront cultism and armed robbery in Yenagoa.

    “Seven specialized units headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, will carry out sporadic and targeted operations in flash points areas within Yenagoa metropolis.

    “Operatives have been dispatched to hot spots on intelligence gathering and surveillance on such miscreants. Cultists are hereby warned to renounce their membership as the command is poised to deal with any act of criminality decisively.

    “The command commends all non-state actors such as the vigilantes and other spirited individuals for their cooperation and participation in policing in Bayelsa.

    “The Command hereby appeals to members of the public to volunteer useful information about activities of suspected cultists and to utilize our distress telephone numbers”.

  • Group to Corps members: No one is selling your data

    A group of concerned Nigerians determined to fight disinformation in the country during this political era have come out to clear the air on accusations of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) selling data which caused chaos on social media in Nigeria.

    After the news broke out, Corp members came out to voice their disappointment in the government and Saraki for politicizing their personal data.

    In response, NYSC responded as follows “Corps Members should please note that the NYSC will neither send text messages canvassing for political parties and candidates nor release Corps data to such groups.

    “The Scheme is apolitical and remains unbiased to all contestants during election process and will continue to leverage on the tremendous achievements it has recorded in the democratic process of the country.

    “The NYSC partners all stakeholders in order to ensure free, fair and credible elections across the country.

    “All Corps Members are hereby enjoined to disregard political messages, remain neutral and remember the Director-General’s message to beware of unscrupulous politicians as the Scheme partners the Federal Government to contribute its quota to the success of the 2018/2019 general elections.”

    Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President Sanni Onogu dismissed the news as fake.

    According to him, “Saraki is on every social media front and has no need buying data, Corp members now go into camp almost every three months so which batch will we buy and ignore?”

    Read Also: Imo Police rescue stolen corpse

    The group Disinformation News Research Team, explained that when people contract a PR firm they expect them to have contact lists and It is possible that these may be obtained in unethical ways.

    They said that PR people in Nigeria rely mostly on buying numbers and email addresses. All year round they also added that people are saying that the end of service booklet usually has names and numbers of corps members.

    Member of the group Pamela Braide said that although some Corps members insisted that they received some messages promoting Saraki, other members claimed they did not receive a thing.

    Speaking at an interactive session in Abuja, she said, “It is possible that these may be obtained in unethical ways but reading the responses from Corp members makes it unlikely NYSC sold data to anyone’s campaign. Personal data is a valuable commodity and people sign off on their personal data using apps and being active online without ever reading what they agree to.  It’s good to be more aware.”

    Group coordinator, Disinformation News Research Team Chibueze Ebii said that as we approach the election in 2019, the group anticipates that there will be a proliferation of fake news in the media, especially in the social media.

    He added, “Political pundits will try to use this means to discredit their opponents in order to win over sentiments towards themselves. We are already seeing the trend  and things will only get worse as we approach the elections.

    “This is the reason we have set up this group of fake news debunkers who are constantly searching the internet for trending fake news in order to flag and debunk them as well as provide the true narrative.”

  • 2019: INEC ready for primaries–REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) says it is ready for effective monitoring of the primaries of the 91 political parties.

    Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, said this on Friday in Awka at the quarterly meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

    Orji said that though the number of political parties recently increased to 91, the commission had put in place measures for effective monitoring of the primaries.

    “We have put the security agencies on alert on the up-coming parties’ primaries in the state and I believe security will not be an issue during the primaries,’’ he said.

    Orji, however, urged members of political parties to be peaceful during the exercise.

    He also said about  100,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected in the state, adding that the meeting deliberated on ways to step up action for speedy collection of the cards.

    Read Also: INEC vows to tackle vote-buying

    “It is disturbing that we still have this number of PVCs uncollected in spite of awareness by INEC to make the owners of these cards to pick them up,’’ he said.

    Mr Mike Okoli, the state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, gave an assurance that all security measures had been put in place for primaries and the 2019 general elections.

    “Even if the INEC says that election is coming up next week, for us in the security sector,  I feel we are battle ready to make sure that things work out properly,’’  he said.

    Mr Aremu Kehinde, the state’s Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), told newsmen that the scheme was committed to the security of corps members to be used as ad hoc staff during the elections.

    Kehinde, however, said that he was pleased with the arrangement made so far for corps members, assuring voters that they would be patriotic in their conduct during the exercise.