ESTHER ODUNAYO
The Coordinator of National Youths Service Corps(NYSC), Ondo State, Mr. Samuel Pepple has assured parents and guardians of 2024 Batch ‘B’ Stream I Corps members of security of their wards
He gave the assurance while speaking on the 2024 Batch ‘B’ Stream I orientation course commencing on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
The NYSC Coordinator disclosed at the NYSC zonal office, Oda Road, Akure, that adequate security measures have been put in place towards ensuring the protection of corps members during orientation periods, while at their lodges and in other NYSC formations.
He said: “We’ve talked with security agencies, mapping the routes prospective corps members will follow. So, we’ve done our home work like we always do.
“I’ve been interacting with the Director of DSS, the state Commissioner of Police, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Ondo State Security Network Agency codename Amotekun Corps.
“Besides, we just came back from pre-orientation workshop. Before we start an orientation programme, a relation course will first take place before we start mobilisation process.
“After the mobilisation process, we do deployment, after the deployment, we do pre-orientation. So, we do pre-mobilisation which involves workshop and cutting all grey areas.
*We now come to pre-orientation proper, that is to say, you are ready for the orientation. They call it workshop but for me, it’s more than that.
“At this stage, all the collaborating agencies, including NYSC staff, security agencies and others, will set strategies and modalities ahead of the orientation camp. That is exactly what we’ve done and everything is ready to ensure a successful orientation camp.”
Meanwhile, the NYSC Coordinator sezed the occasion to seek the assistance of the state government in renovating and upgrading the facilities at the corps’ orientation camp located at Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North-East Local Government Areaof the state.
He , however, appreciated the commitment of the state government to ensuring the welfare of residents including the corps members.
According to him, “Ondo State is one of the oldest states in Nigeria. I can tell you that the facilities in that camp are old. Let’s say it the way it is, they’re very old.
“I am just new here, but I know. I’m trying to talk to the state government because the provisions of orientation camps is actually the statutory duties of state governments as enshrined in the NYSC Act.
“So, I’m passionately trying to let them see the need for it’s upgrade.
“During the last orientation camp, I took the state Commissioner for Youths, Hon Saka Yusuf Ogunleye round the camp to see how old the camp is, so that the state government can come in and do some refurbishing. So, it’s really an old camp but that’s what we have.”