The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim has hinted at the possibility of making COVID-19 vaccines compulsory for corps members in their places of primary assignment across the country.
The NYSC boss who spoke while declaring open the 2021 Batch ‘C’ Stream 1 orientation course at the permanent orientation camp in Ise-Orun/Emure-Ekiti on Tuesday noted that the decision would be in line with the directive of the federal government to civil servants on vaccination as a condition to entering public places from December 1.
Represented by the NYSC state coordinator, Mrs Mary Chikezie, the DG said, ” As you may be aware, the Federal Government has announced plan to make a presentation of evidence of COVID19 vaccination by civil servants a pre-requisite for gaining entry to public offices from 1st December 2021.
I, therefore, encourage those of you, who are yet to take the vaccine, to do so without further delay as the rule could apply to Corps members in places of Primary Assignment.
“Of greater significance is the fact that the vaccine will keep you safe. We are already in touch with the relevant authorities with a view to ensuring that the vaccines are made available to you in the course of this programme.”
While advising the corps members posted to the state to be committed and eschew all forms of social vices, the DG explained that necessary punitive measures would be meted out to any corps members who flouted the laid down rules of the scheme.
According to him, “Let me use this opportunity to caution you against indulgence in cultism, drug abuse and other social vices. I also urge you to use social media only for the promotion of unity and other positive purposes rather than rumour peddling and the promotion of hatred.
At all times, you must be security conscious, and avoid putting yourselves in harm’s way.”
On the drive-by graduates for white-collar jobs, Ibrahim advised the corps members to embrace entrepreneurship skills they would be exposed to in the camp through the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
It is no longer news that white-collar jobs are hard to come by.
For this reason, the empowerment of Corps members for self-employment and wealth creation has been a major area of focus for the Scheme since 2012.
You will from this moment be availed of that opportunity through our Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
“I am happy to inform you that many of your predecessors, who embraced vocational and entrepreneurial training on the SAED platform, are now successful business owners. I, therefore, encourage you to stay off the long queue of job seekers by choosing from the various skillsets and participating fully in the training sessions.
On our part, we shall continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including financial institutions, to enable you to actualize your business dreams,” he said.
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