Ondo State Coordinator of the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, Mrs. Grace Akpabio, has condemned the attitude of some parents and guardians towards the posting policy of the scheme, describing it as unhealthy.
This is as she stated the reasons why parents and guardians should not influence postings.
Mrs. Akpabio said rather than applaud the posting policy whereby prospective corps members are posted to geo-political zones other than their own, some parents are hell-bent on frustrating the objective.
She expressed the dismay when she presented a brief on NYSC during the monthly meeting of the Forum of Heads of Federal Establishments in Ondo State held recently at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Igbatoro Road, Akure.
The state coordinator who was visibly worried about the trend called on major and critical stakeholders to reverse the present situation by engaging in sensitisation and enlightenment of ill informed or misinformed parents and guardians.
“Distinguished members of this well informed forum, we have an arduous task ahead. We have to halt this trend of going extra miles through all crooked means possible employed by some parents to facilitate the relocation of their children and wards from some geo-political zones dubbed insecure.
“Some parents and guardians have employed all illegal means known to discourage their children from accepting postings to some perceived challenged states or region.
“We need not alter or change the destinies of these younger ones. God has a reason for their deployment and forcing them to relocate just because of environmental or security reasons means we are telling God that He has not made a good or perfect selection for us.”
The NYSC boss expressed regret at the outcome of some of the “ill-informed” decision as some energetic and patriotic Nigerians had their lives cut short by this ‘must relocate syndrome’.
“It is most unfortunate and pathetic that some of these corps members whose parents forced to relocate as a result of fear of the unknown met their untimely deaths in avoidable and questionable circumstances in their back yard.
“Challenges are everywhere and we cannot say because people are dying through road traffic accident we would not board vehicles to where we need to go. Let us commit the lives of our children going for the mandatory national service in the hands of God who is more able to protect them absolutely.”
Mrs Akpabio said that NYSC had over the years acted as a catalyst for societal change and national development.
“Since the establishment of National Youth Service Corps, the scheme has witnessed positive transformation with the resultant effect of its positivity transmitted to the nation at large.”
According to her, the establishment of NYSC has fostered unity and development with the mobilisation of Nigerian youths from one part and deployment to another part of the country.
She listed the achievements to include the attitudinal development of youths, acquired through shared experience and suitable training which she said had made them more amenable to mobilisation in the national interest.
“The scheme has helped in the inculcation of discipline among youths by their exposure to varying climes along the length and breadth of the country. It has also helped the development of a sense of corporate existence and common destiny of the people of Nigeria.
“It is an incontrovertible fact that the National Youth Service Corps is in the forefront of provision of skilled manpower to Education, Agricultural and Health sectors of the economy.”
The administrator who is passionate about youth development, encouraged the members of the forum to influence parents and guardians to encourage their children and wards to embrace the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme introduced seven years ago to make them independent during and after the service year.
“The Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the scheme has helped Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self-reliance by encouraging them to develop various skills for self employment. It is hoped that this forum will deploy its machinery to assist the NYSC preach this gospel to our teeming youths across the nooks and crannies of the state.
“Let me add that opportunity provided by SAED is not limited to corps members alone but people who are willing to learn various skills and grow their income.”
Akpabio advised those who might want to key in and be part of success story of the programme to visit the SAED Centre located within the premises of NYSC Zonal Office at Oda Road, Akure or NYSC offices located in all the local governments in the state.
The chairman of the forum who was represented by the vice chairman thanked the NYSC for the eye-opening lecture and promised to propagate the posting policy of the scheme.
