Shun Social Vices, Use Social Media For Promoting National Unity — NYSC DG

Once again, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been charged to distance themselves from cultism, drug abuse and other social vices.

They were also urged to avoid using social media for spreading fake news, fueling hatred and other negative purposes but to deploy the same for the promotion of national unity.

The NYSC Director-General, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim gave this charge during the swearing-in ceremony of 2022, Batch A Stream II at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Ede on Wednesday.

In a speech delivered by the Osun State NYSC Coordinator l, Winifred Shokpeka, Shuaibu admonished the corps members to be security conscious at all times and to report any suspicious characters to the appropriate authorities.

Shuaibu who thanked the House of Representatives for the progress so far in the legislative processes on the Bill for the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund also appealed to the appropriate authorities to provide the necessary enablement for the actualisation of the Fund.

According to him, "This will surely enhance the smooth operation of the scheme, especially by addressing the challenge of infrastructure. 

"It will also boost our skills and entrepreneurship development programmes aimed at empowering corps members for self-employment and wealth creation."

The NYSC boss who reminded the corps members that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over also warned that the strict adherence to the outlined measures such as physical distancing, wearing of facemasks and the use of handwashing facilities provided at strategic locations should be observed throughout the orientation period.

"Let me remind you that the Federal Government's directive on presentation of evidence of COVID-19 vaccination as a prerequisite for gaining entry to public offices is still in force.

"Therefore, I encourage those of you who are yet to take the vaccine to do so without further delay as the rule will apply to you both in your Places of Primary Assignment and other public offices.

"We are sustaining our liaison with the relevant authorities to ensure that the vaccines are made available to you in the course of this programme."

A total number of 1,627 corps members were sworn-in out of which 1,079 were deployed to Osun State while 548 were dislodged from Lagos State.