The Chairman of Akoko Northeast local government area, Ondo State, Abdulkadir Asimiyu Adekunle, has promised speedy intervention of the council in the provisions of basic infrastructure in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko, located within the area council.
The council boss made this disclosure while playing host to the NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, who was in his office on a courtesy visit.
Adekunle noted that the service oriented objectives of the NYSC had for decades sustained national unity and development agenda of government.
He therefore observed that as a stakeholder of the scheme, the council would strive within its limited resources to make the orientation camp attractive to the teeming graduate youths deployed to the state for national service.
According to him, “the dwindling revenue notwithstanding, the local government council will continue to support the lofty programmes of the scheme,” Adekunle stressed.
Speaking on the constitution of NYSC local government committee, Adekunle promised to carefully study the relevant provisions of the NYSC Act in relation to the responsibilities of the local government council and act accordingly.
The council boss also disclosed that already his administration was making frantic efforts towards extending its advocacy to federal lawmakers, prominent indigenes as well as philanthropists in the area to support the noble cause of transforming the NYSC Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko, into a model to be reckoned with in the country.
“We cannot deny the fact that the presence of NYSC camp in our local government is a blessing, considering the economic benefits and the positive multiplier effects in the area of education, health, agriculture and other forms of empowerment for our people. We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that we all fulfil our corporate social responsibility to the NYSC,” he further stated.
Earlier in her address during the visit, the NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, said that she considered it appropriate to see the chairman of the host local government area where the orientation camp is located to officially intimate him of the development in the scheme regarding her posting as the new NYSC Ondo state coordinator.
She further informed her host that it was the responsibility of the local government council to ensure that corps members serving in the area were adequately catered for in terms of welfare provision and security.
“We are not oblivious of the challenges of all the tiers of government, but I want to use the opportunity of this courtesy visit to appeal to the Executive Chairman to consider the upward review of the allowance payable to Corps members serving in the local government area to reflect the present day economic realities. On our part, we shall continue to post Corps members to relevant areas of need in order to assist in the development agenda of the state.”
While appreciating the local government council for its age long support for the scheme in the state, the NYSC coordinator also declared that most of the structures in the camp were old and begging for attention.
She therefore made a special appeal to the council chairman to use his good office to attract people of goodwill to support the worthy cause of turning around the fortunes of one of the oldest camps in Nigeria.
