FG REITERATES COMMITMENT TO SECURITY OF NYSC MEMBERS

The Minister of Youth Development, Mr Inuwa Abdulkadir, said on Tuesday that the Federal Government was committed to providing security for NYSC members and Nigerians.

Abdulkadir said at a news conference in Abuja that there was adequate security in all the places the corps members were deployed to serve.

He said the recent outcry in respect of NYSC posting to certain states over insecurity was amplified by the media, adding that the “so-called protest” was stage-managed.

“The Federal Government noted with dismay the purported reaction of the so-called corps members to serve in some states as Batch `B' who were agitating to be re-deployed to their choice state, '' the minister said.

He said the government was aware of the efforts of some Nigerians bent on disrupting whatever it was doing but stressed that the government's actions were driven by national interest.

Abdulkadir said NYSC was like any other government agency in 36 states and  Abuja with their workers as well as security outfits working and residing in the states.

“There is also private sector which includes banks that have branches and their staff have been living there since before the incidences and up to today, they are there,'' Abdulkadir said.

He said Nigeria was one of the countries with the highest number of ethnic groups  and religions and stressed that Nigerians had been living together since 1914.

“Nigeria has come too far and is here to stay.
“NYSC is here to strengthen the bond that has been existing. The scheme should be allowed, no matter what and those who want to bring disharmony in Nigeria should not be allowed.

“Even during the civil war; in some parts of the country, there were elements of decorum. In the North, East and South, people and their property were protected and they continued living there,'' the minister said.

He said officials were going round the states to encourage corps members and the  public.

The minister said that NYSC members were not being mobilised from their states but from their institutions.

He urged the media to concentrate on issues that would unite Nigerians for  meaningful development.

The minister, who visited the NYSC FCT Orientation Camp at Kubwa, said government's role was to guide the corps members in charting a good course for themselves.

Abdulkadir urged the corps members to tap experience from their entrepreneurship training to enable them to undertake other business ventures after the service year.

He advised them to be good ambassadors of the NYSC programme in their host communities by rendering useful services to them.

The FCT NYSC Coordinator, Mr Frank Ekpunobi, said the orientation programme had been without hitches, adding that “the level of discipline has been quite impressive.

Ekpunobi said` `the corps members have comported themselves into the regimented life, obeying the rules and regulations of the camp.''

He said the camp discovered good comedians, dancers, actors and actresses, sports men and women.

“As a matter of fact, FCT orientation camp, like others, is a melting pot of abundant talents ready to contribute positively to the socio-economic development of Nigeria,'' the coordinator said.