The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, has charged corps members to study their environment and be security conscious as they settle down in their various host communities.
Ani gave the advice when she debriefed the 2022 Batch ‘A’ (Stream 1) corps members as they rounded off the orientation course which started three weeks ago.
Ani maintained that the time was hard and unscrupulous elements in the society were all over the place trying to take advantage of citizens and residents who might not be wary of their dastardly act.
“My distinguished children, I am indebted to you as a mother to give you tips that will protect you during and even after the service year. Stop travelling at will because our roads are always very busy and not too good, as I will be looking forward to seeing you at the end of the service year,” she said.
The administrator noted that corps members should remember that they were no longer on campus where they could be irrational and embark on frivolous trips.
She advised them to break their journey if it was getting dark and continue the following day.
“The management of the National Youth Service Corps in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, is continuously sensitising the transport unions nationwide to discourage corps members who are travelling to far distances from continuing their journeys when it is 6 p.m., and I want to advise such members of the service corps to locate NYSC secretariats, Corps lodges, Army formations, Police Station and other designated places to sleep over and continue with the journey the following day.”
The coordinator admonished the corps members to exhibit traits of humility wherever they were posted in order for their hosts to extend their hands of hospitality to them and reciprocate their humility.
“Let me add that the good people of Ondo State cherish respect and I am appealing to you to respect elders and everyone you come in contact with because those people may be the angels that have been divinely sent to assist or make your stay memorable in the Sunshine State.
“I am encouraging you to have positive impact at your various places of primary assignment and within your host communities. Inquire to know their felt needs and mobilise support from philanthropists in the society to solve such challenge and by so doing, you will be engraving your name in their hearts and they will never forget you in a hurry.”
She disclosed that NYSC had made solid arrangement with reputable transport unions such as National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, to provide cheap and affordable transportation from the camp to all the local governments within the state.
The NYSC Ondo State boss further advised the corps members to continue with the SAED post-camp trainings to improve and perfect their acquired skill so that they would be independent even during the service year.
Ani admonished them to take seriously all the lectures they were exposed to during the three weeks orientation course and implored them to continuously check their dashboard for vital and important information.
“We would not be tired of speaking about security and I am of the opinion that your personal security should be given priority attention at all times, and I want to encourage you to report promptly to security agencies any perceived or observed threat to your lives and property,” she concluded.
