By Sam Akanimo
Nine National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Akwa Ibom State are to repeat their service. A total of 1,349 others have rounded off their service in the state. The 1,349 Corps members are made up of 573 males and 776 females of the 2023 Batch B stream 1. They ended their service year on Thursday.
NYSC’s spokesman in Akwa Ibom, Anselem M. Udogwu, made this known in a statement just as the Corps members who completed their compulsory one-year service in the Delta State Ministry of Information have been advised to engage in meaningful and productive ventures.
The Information Commissioner, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, who made the charge, said it will enable them to create a better future for themselves. He spoke at a send forth ceremony for the Corps members, The commissioner enjoined them to embrace the reality of life after Service, advising them to avoid shortcuts to achieving their life goals.
“Today’s world has become increasingly alarming, pushing young people to extreme behaviours in their quest for material advancement”, he said. The commissioner was however, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Theresa Oliko. He further enjoined them to upgrade themselves by acquiring digital skills that would ensure their relevance in a future that was getting increasingly digitised.
“The world is going digital. Do not wait for white-collar jobs. You must upgrade yourself in digital skills if you must be relevant in the scheme of things.” While congratulating the corps members for the successful completion of their national assignment, Osuoza commended them for their good behaviour throughout their service year.
Speaking in the same vein, a Deputy Director of Information and current Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Delta State Council, Churchill Oyowe, tasked the corps members on humility, advising them not to despise small beginnings but to begin small and grow from there.
In her vote of thanks, Miss Emmanuella Ukeje, one of the out-going corps members, expressed gratitude to the staff and management of the ministry of information, as well as the Delta State government, for the opportunity to have served in the state.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of gifts to each of the thirteen corps members. In Akwa Ibom, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Okun Christopher, charged them to take advantage of the SAED trainings and skills acquired during the period of their national service to become job creators and add value to the nation’s quest for growth.
He congratulated them for a successful national service, and charged them to desist from any unwholesome activities that will jeopardize their future while urging them to be security conscious at all times. According to him, what they learnt through trainings anchored on SAED should be able to make them job creators rather than job seekers thereby contributing to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
The passing out Corps members promised to be good ambassadors of the Scheme wherever they might find themselves. Highlight of the event was the sample distribution of Certificate of National Service, CNS, to the deserving corps members by the State Coordinator.
Reports from the other 30 council areas of the state indicate a successful passing out exercise. However, three Corps members throughout the state had their services extended varying from two months to Six months while Nine have to repeat the service year because of contravention of some aspects of the NYSC Act/ Bye- laws.
