Use social media to promote unity not hate, NYSC DG tells corps members

Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, has urged corps members to use social media as a tool for promoting unity rather than peddling rumours and promoting hatred.

Ibrahim gave the charge on Tuesday, October 26, during his keynote address at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2021 Batch ‘C’ stream 1 corps members at the permanent orientation camp in Iseyin, Oyo State.

The NYSC DG also cautioned the corps members against participating in cultism, drug abuse and other social vices.

He said: “I urge you to use the 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.

“I enjoin you to always ponder over the significance of the oath and be guided by its spirit and letters. In the same vein, I advise you to familiarise yourselves with the content of both the NYSC Act and the NYSC bye-laws.

“As the launch pad for the service year, this orientation course will prepare you physically and mentally for your expected contributions to the progress and development of our fatherland. In addition, it will equip you for the realisation of your potentials and attainment of individual feats both within the period of service and beyond.

“Highlights of the camp activities will include lessons on the four cardinal programmes of the NYSC, leadership coaching, paramilitary drills and other physical training as well as sensitisation on topical national issues, amongst others. You are expected to avail yourselves of this unique opportunity by participating actively in all the aforementioned programmes.”

Ibrahim also urged the newly sworn-in corps members to utilise the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme availed to them during the orientation course.

“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,” he added.

The Oyo State NYSC coordinator, Mrs Grace Ogbuogebe, who delivered the DG’s address disclosed that 1,647 corps members, comprising of 797 male and 850 female were administered the oath of allegiance by the state chief judge.

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