Director-General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, has advised all the 1600 Batch C stream 2 Corps members posted to Bauchi state for the one year service who are yet to take the COVID-19 vaccination to do so without further delay.
Shuaibu Ibrahim, who made the call at the state permanent orientation camp, Wailo, in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday, during the swearing-in ceremony of Batch C stream 2 corps members, said that the vaccine would make them safe just as he reminded them that it is now a mandatory thing to do as announced by the Federal Government.
According to him, the call was imperative due to the fact that the federal government had revealed that it would make a presentation of evidence of the vaccination by civil servants a prerequisite before gaining access to public offices effective from December 1, 2021.
According to the DG, “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 their places of Primary Assignment”.
He also said that, “Of greater significance is the fact that the vaccine will keep you safe. We are already in touch with relevant authorities with a view to ensuring that the vaccines are made available to you in the course of this programme”.
Shuaibu Ibrahim said that, “I would like to express our profound gratitude to the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control whose support and guidance is facilitating the safe and efficient conduct of the Orientation Course within the context of the ‘new normal”.
He also said that, “Our appreciation also goes to other stakeholders, including the National Agency for the Control of AIDS and the TY Danjuma Foundation who both donated tens of thousands of Rapid Test Kits to the Scheme”.
“In the same vein, I thank State Ministries of Health as well as Federal and State tertiary health institutions for their support in the areas of COVID-19 prevention and general health services,” he said.
The NYSC boss, who was represented by the state Coordinator of the scheme, Alh. Namadi Abubakar explained to the corps members that they were deliberately posted out of their comfort zones in order to broaden their understanding of the country.
He added that the deployment policies of the scheme were aimed at placing them in good stead for effective contribution to the promotion of national unity and integration, advising them to always be security conscious during and after their service year.
The DG also urged the corps members to ensure healthy interactions, exchange ideas and build lasting friendships with a view to advancing the progress of a united Nigeria.
Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Talatu, administered the oath of allegiance to the 1,600 corps members posted to the state represented by Justice Sa’ad Zadawa.