Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has called on members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to serve with diligence and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the state and the nation.
The governor, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Development, Mr. Effiong Nicholas, made the call on Friday during the swearing-in ceremony of Batch C Stream II corps members at the permanent orientation camp in Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Atai Local Government Area.
Addressing the corps members, Eno urged them to seize the opportunity to serve their fatherland and foster unity across Nigeria’s diverse cultural and socio-economic divides.
“As stakeholders in Nigerian projects, it is incumbent on you to continue the building process across linguistic, religious, ethnic, and socio-cultural boundaries,” he said. “Knowing fully well that Nigerians are looking up to you to give the country a new lease of life.”
The governor assured the corps members of the state government’s commitment to their safety and well-being. “The Akwa Ibom State Government will continue to perform its task of giving each and every one of you the needed opportunities to contribute to the overall growth of our economy. We are consciously taking necessary steps to ensure that your life and property, including that of other citizens, are protected against all forms of molestation and abuse,” Eno added.
The governor also encouraged the corps members to adopt a positive attitude toward work, embrace innovation, and use the service year to forge meaningful friendships across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. He emphasized their role in nation-building, saying, “Nigeria needs people like you to show that we can stay together and achieve our aim of a united and indivisible nation, though tribe and tongue may differ.”
Earlier, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Sam Pepple, revealed that 1,660 corps members, comprising 718 males and 942 females, had been deployed to the state and were settling into the orientation programme.
Pepple highlighted the importance of the regimented orientation exercise in equipping corps members with the vision and ideals of the scheme. He, however, appealed to the state government to address infrastructural challenges at the camp.
“We plead with the state government to assist the NYSC by fixing some infrastructure in the camp that is in deplorable condition for the benefit of the corps members,” Pepple said. He also urged local government chairmen to construct corpers’ lodges in their areas to ease accommodation challenges.
The ceremony featured the administration of the oath of allegiance by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Obot, symbolizing the formal start of the service year for the corps members.
