The acting Director, General Services, of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Yetunde Abimbola Baderinwa has urged Corps members to prioritise and improve their productivity as well as develop team spirit during their service year.
Baderinwa implored the Corps members to use the service year to reflect on the future and improve themselves.
She gave the advice at the NYSC Oyo Permanent Orientation Camp, Iseyin where she addressed the 2024 Batch C Stream 1 Corps members deployed to Oyo State and their dislodged counterparts from Lagos State currently undergoing their orientation exercise.
Baderinwa who was on a working visit to the camp, lauded both the camp officials and Corps members for the warm reception extended to her.
Congratulating the Corps members to Oyo State on behalf of the Director-General NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, she said that the Corps members are lucky to be posted to the pace-setter state.
Speaking on the good conduct exhibited so far by the Corps members since their arrival at the camp, she charged them to sustain the tempo and continue to be law-abiding.
The visiting Acting Director emphasised the importance of obeying all the rules and regulations guiding the NYSC right from the orientation camp and admonished the Corps members to respect the culture and traditions of their host communities and live in peaceful coexistence with them.
She also implored them to identify the felt needs of their host communities to leave a mark that would remain dearly in the minds of their host communities after they have left.
Baderinwa further encouraged them to be intentional about changing their mindset, leave a positive impact and cherish relationships built during their service year, as the connections could be invaluable in the future.
“Orientation camp is a once-lifetime opportunity. Nurture the relationship you have now and keep the relationship you are making here,” she said.
On making judicious use of the opportunity brought to the Corps members by the scheme, particularly, the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (SAED), the NYSC boss stated that the essence of SAED was to prepare them for the future and raise a crop of future entrepreneurs that will not only be self-employed, but employers of labour as well, while using the slogan, ‘one corps member, two skills’.
She said, “NYSC is in collaboration with various financial institutions like Bank Of Industry. (BOI) Access, Wema Bank and others to give Corps members interest-free loans and grants as startups for their businesses.”
While cautioning the Corps members to be responsible in their use of social media, she charged them to spread positive news instead of negative news about the Scheme. “Be mature in the use of your social media”.
Baderinwa further appealed to the conscious of the Corps members to see Nigeria as their home and contribute their quota to the development of their desired country.
“Make positive changes wherever you find yourself. It is allowed to speak up on issues bothering you, but should be done constructively,” she noted.
The visiting acting Director concluded by advising the Corps members not to stay late at night and always leave moderate when they get to their Places of Primary Assignment (PPA) as they are the chief security themselves.
Earlier in his brief, the State Coordinator NYSC Oyo, Odoba Abel Oche appreciated the Acting Director for paying the visit to inspire and give motherly advice to the Corps members.
He credited that her coming alone had lifted the souls of Corps members.
Reporting the camp situation to the visiting acting director, the state coordinator expressed that the Corps members had been disciplined and were adapting to the regimented camp life.
He added that they are well-mannered and have been representing their family, and institutions of learning very well.
The visit saw the acting Director entertained with a cultural dance display by the Corps members, while she presented cash gifts to some groups of Corps members.
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