The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has received 60,000 COVID-19 test kits donation from the Victim Support Fund in response to combating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
While making the donation during the Presidential Steering Committee Press Briefing on COVID-19, the Chairperson, Victim Support Fund COVID-19 Task Force, Mrs Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said the donation was the single largest donation of rapid test kits to the NYSC, which would be used during its forthcoming orientation course.
She commended the Federal Government, the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, the NCDC and NYSC Director-General for their tireless efforts in tackling the dreaded virus.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of VSF, Gen TY Danjuma, Akerele-Ogunsiji said NYSC is the most crucial component of the country with high population density.
She added that there was the need to deploy full medical support to reduce the COVID-19 mortality rate among Nigerians.
“We will continue to support the government to reduce community transmission of the pandemic across the country,” she said.
While receiving the items, NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, commended the gesture even as he recognised efforts of the Presidential Task Force and the NCDC towards curbing the spread of the disease.
In another development, the NYSC DG advocated for the establishment of the National Youth Service Trust Fund that would cater for the financial empowerment of all Corps Members as they pass out from service.
He said this would help them to establish their vocational businesses with the skills they acquire from the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme in the course of service.
Ibrahim made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the former Head of State and founder of the NYSC Scheme, General Yakubu Gowon at his residence in Abuja.
He said the establishment of the Trust Fund would also reduce the level of unemployment among the youths, while curbing the increasing rate of crime in the country.
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The 624 new cases reported between March 28 and April 3 is a reduction from the 849 recorded the previous week…NYSC receives 60,000 COVID-19 test kits donation