The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has said that facilities at the permanent orientation camp in Ede, Osun State are inadequate to cater for corps members.
The Chairperson of the NYSC Governing Board, Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar disclosed this when he visited the camp in Ede to assess the facilities.
She appealed to the State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, for the expansion of the facilities including the hall and the clinic.
Hajiya Fatima, who took the appeal to the governor in his office in Osogbo lauded the state government for its contributions to NYSC as the camp was not only in good condition but also clean and in a serene atmosphere.
She said NYSC was occupying a rented building as a secretariat and urged the governor to help NYSC to have its own secretariat.
She also told the governor that erosion was threatening the camp and pleaded with the governor on erosion control. She commended the governor for the warmth and responsiveness towards the Nigerian youths.
Responding, the governor promised to review the requests and assured that the state government would continue to support the scheme.
Oyetola said: “NYSC is a scheme that is significant to national unity and integration. It has proved to be a major driving force for unity, particularly among the youths. There is nothing like religious or ethnic divide. Everyone is simply satisfied to be identified as a corps member.
“This kind of atmosphere, where your affiliation or origin does not matter much, is what we should strive to attain in Nigeria.
“On the basis of this very critical and significant derivative of the scheme, it should actually be encouraged. Believe me, this is a scheme we are all proud of, having experienced its benefits.
“Apart from fostering national unity and integration, the scheme has become a veritable tool for entrepreneurial training during the orientation programmes and this is very critical to youth engagement in our country today.
“I would like to implore our youths to embrace this opportunity to foster unity across the country and shun violence.
“Those serving in our dear state should also count themselves lucky because you have been posted to the most peaceful state in the country. Aside our overall peace profile, we have neither recorded instances of disputes between corps members and security agencies. This is also commendable.
“But I must advise our corps members to ensure that they work closely and relate well with the community where they live,” Oyetola added.