Patience should be the watchword of corps members across the country, the Acting Director, General Services Department in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, National Directorate Headquarters, Mr. Teryma Manasseh Igyuse, has advised.
Igyuse gave the advice when he addressed 2019 Batch ‘C’ (Stream 11) corps members, during his inspection visit to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State.
The Acting Director said that corps members should show patience and not be in a haste to make money or live flamboyant lifestyles but ensure that they made sacrifices that would uplift them in the foreseeable future.
“I am not saying you should not be ambitious to actualise your dreams. Remember that you have been found worthy in learning and character. This qualified you to be mobilised and subsequently deployed to Ondo State. I want you to live the attributes and be good ambassadors of the noble scheme.
“I want you to remain disciplined as you serve your fatherland. Let your moral rectitude be above board and be committed to the ideals of making Nigeria a great nation again”.
He urged them to integrate with the members of the host communities as the scheme was designed to bring the graduate youths closer to other ethnic groups, broaden their understanding of other people’s culture and eliminate stereotyped prejudices.
The one time coordinator in Gombe State spoke about the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, programme expressing his confidence that the youths trained under this platform would help advance the country quest for economic development and capacity building.
“My dear children in the national service, let it be known that you are on your way to greatness if you can key into SAED. Your colleagues and predecessors who embraced the programme during the service year are today smiling to the banks. I want you to be part of this developmental train and become the next generation of successful entrepreneurs, business moguls and captains of industries.”
He enjoined the corps members to be security conscious during the service year “as everyone has a responsibility to ensure his or her personal security.”
“I want to encourage you to take security lectures seriously as it aims to sensitise you on what to do whenever you are faced with security threats. Endeavour to have the phone numbers of security personnel within the local government of your service,” he said.
Emphasising the need for patience, the NYSC top management staff also appealed to corps members to shun night parties and desist from embarking on frivolous and unwarranted journeys as a larger percentage of corps members who lost their lives during the service year did as a result of avoidable road accidents.
Welcoming the Director, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Akpabio, announced that a total number of 1023 corps members made up of 470 males and 553 females were registered and all were adapting to the regimented nature of the camp.
Akpabio informed the special guest about various projects going on at the camp and their different stages of completion.
The projects, she said, included the ultra modern Camp Clinic, extension of Orientation Broadcasting Service (OBS) Studio, the SAED Centre and the Volleyball Court constructed in memory of a staff who lost her life last year.
