The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have concluded plans to stage an awareness march against corruption.
Ondo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Grace Akpabio, stated this at a press conference on Thursday in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Akpabio said the 10 million man march, which would come up on Friday, was a form of awareness campaign to the society on having a corruption-free nation.
She said the leadership of the EFCC felt that the best way to ‘catch them young’ was through youths, especially corps members who would be entering the labour market soon.
“EFCC felt the best people to partner with to achieve the desired result should be the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development on one hand and the National Youth Service Corps on the other, to sensitise the society on the ills of corruption,” she said.
“Honestly speaking, corruption is the bane of our under development in this country and we need to get down to tackling such by mobilising the youths whose future depends on good governance and sound leadership to take us away from our present position which is far from being palatable.
“These Nigerian youths should be told to engage in decent endeavours which will take them to greater heights rather than having the notion to get to the top through undesirable means.”
The NYSC boss therefore charged parents to desist from the inglorious habit of cutting corners for their wards to succeed by all means and at all cost.
The NYSC administrator admonished the parents to rather instil the fear of God in their children as part of teachings against corruption.
“I want to call on parents and guardians of these vibrant youths to let us go back to the basics and enshrine moral rectitude in their psyche and consciousness.”
The head of the EFCC team, Mr. Joshua Oloye, said the walk was important because the youths were the highest in population, and it was an avenue to “catch them young.”
Oloye appreciated the NYSC officials for their cooperation and support to rid the nation of corruption.
