The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has warned that employers who fail to provide accommodation and transportation for Corps members posted to their organisations risk being blacklisted from participating in the scheme.
General Nafiu gave the warning while addressing Corps members during a working visit to Kogi State, where he urged employers to improve the welfare of Corps members serving under them.
He assured the Corps members of the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to their security and welfare and appealed to state and local governments, as well as other stakeholders, to strengthen their support for the NYSC Scheme.
The Director-General also reminded Corps members that security is a collective responsibility and urged them to promptly report suspicious activities to relevant security agencies.
He advised them to remain disciplined, dedicated to duty and avoid acts capable of tarnishing their image, stressing that they are ambassadors of their families, their institutions of graduation and the NYSC.
General Nafiu further encouraged the Corps members to take the post camp Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme seriously, describing it as a pathway to self reliance and entrepreneurship.
“Be proactive, identify business opportunities within your host communities, and start making some money for yourselves even now,” he said.
The NYSC boss also urged the Corps members to cultivate a savings culture despite the prevailing economic challenges, noting that prudent financial management would prepare them for future success.
“Take your service year as a training ground for future financial management by managing your finances wisely,” he added.
Earlier, the NYSC Kogi State Coordinator, Mrs Tochi Chika Chris-Moneke, thanked the Director-General for the visit, describing it as a demonstration of his commitment to the welfare and security of Corps members and staff.
She disclosed that the state secretariat would soon organise a Corps Employers’ Workshop as well as the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme as part of efforts to strengthen service delivery and community development.
