Camp Reopening: NYSC Will Comply With COVID-19 Guidelines, Says DG

The National Youth Service Corps has assured that it would enforce strict compliance with all safety guidelines endorsed by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control in all its Orientation Camps across the country.

The organisation said that since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, it had not recorded any case among corps members and staff.

The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Corps Director, Press and Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi, said this in Jos at the 2020 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Orientation Workshop with the theme: ‘Evolving a dynamic operational strategy in the management of camps in the Context of COVID-19.’

He said management would continue to evaluate the conduct of Orientation Course as well as re-strategise towards enhancing its success due to its critical role as a launchpad for the service year.

“Management is committed to ensuring that no camp records outbreak of the virus. The 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Orientation Course was suspended abruptly on the 18th of March, 2020 to avoid the outbreak of COVID – 19 in the Orientation Camps.

“In line with the current realities, our approach to the conduct of the forthcoming Orientation Course will focus on proper induction of corps members on core ideals of the Scheme, with equal attention paid to the approved safety protocols,” he stated.

Ibrahim further urged the workshop participants to fashion out other strategies for the successful conduct of the forthcoming Orientation Course.

He said, “There is no gainsaying the fact that an environment that is conducive is crucial to the success of the Orientation programme, and indeed the entire Service Year. Management considers as highly commendable, the improvements in camp development in some states.”

The Director-General appealed to state governments to discharge their statutory responsibilities of upgrading and expanding camp facilities to adequately serve the increasing population of corps members.