1 corps member bags State Honours Award, as NYSC extends service year of 38 in Enugu, 18 in Ebonyi, 9 in Abia

[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia; CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]

870 corps member who honoured their National Youth Service (NYSC) in Abia State in the past one year have been enjoined not to be overwhelmed by the uncertainties of the labour.

Also, one graduate of Civil Engineering from the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, Victor Akpan Etim, from Akwa Ibom, stood tall Thursday as he has merited the Abia State Merit Award.

This is as 38 members have had their service year extended in Enugu, s well as  18 others in Ebonyi, while 9 are to repeat in Abia State.

 Abia State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Jingi Denis, who gave the advice, said they should rather become self-employed by relying on the skills they acquired while in the Orientation Camp to establishes their own businesses.

Denis who spoke in Umuahia during the passing out parade of the 870 corps member s of the 2021 Batch A, Stream II, in Umuahia, announced that nine corps have had their service extended by another one year while one of them would bag the State Honours award, just as five others would be given Commendation Certificates.

Denis noted that it was only by striving to be self-reliant that the out-going corps members would conquer the fear of the uncertainties beclouding the country’s labour maket, and encouraged them to establish businesses of their own.

According to the Abia State NYSC State Coordinator, Victor Akpan Etim who hails from Akwa Ibom State and a graduate of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, would be honoured with the State Honours Award, “in recognition of his outstanding performance during his stay in Abia state,” while five others would also receive Commendation Certificates.

 While Emeka was reaping the fruit of his work, Denis announced that nine corps members were punished for absconding from their places of primary assignment as they were asked to repeat their service for another one year.   

Denis explained that the punishment meted out to the nine erring corps members was in line with the NYSC rules and regulations.

Addressing the corps members, the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, urged outgoing corps members not to “engage in activities that will undermine the noble ideas” the society has bestowed on them for participating in the NYSC scheme.

Ikpeazu charged them to always be good ambassadors of their immediate families and resource persons for national unity and integration.

Represented by the secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr Chris Ezem, the Governor assured that his government would continue to assist the scheme “within available resources in provision of basic amenities for its operation.”

He urged them not to “join evil forces and enemies of progress to undermine our nationhood.”

Chairman of the State Governing Board of NYSC and Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr Charles Esonu, enjoined the corps members not to regard the end of their service year as the end of service to mankind, urging them also to “believe in Nigeria and cherish its corporate existence as a peaceful nation.”

Meanwhile, the NYSC has extended the service year of a total of 38 Corps members in Enugu, while 18 corps members suffered same fate in Ebonyi.

Enugu State was NYSC Coordinator, Sam Ujogu on Thursday at the passing-out ceremony of of Batch A Stream II corps members.

Ujogu also said that 12 corps members who absconded from service would be remobilised to start service afresh whenever they resurfaced.

According to him, the sanctions were as a result of the offenses committed by the affected corps members which contravened the Bye-Laws of the scheme.

In Ebonyi, the offences of the affected Corps members range from abscondment from service to unauthorized journeys and other miscellaneous offences.

The Coordinator of the Scheme in Ebonyi State, Mrs Bamai Dawuda stated this during the passing-out parade of Batch A Stream II at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium Abakaliki on Thursday.

 According to the State Coordinator, ten of the sanctioned corps members are females while eight are males.

She said that another 25 Corps members will serve extension of service ranging from one to four months.

Mrs Bamai charged the passing-out Corps members to keep the flag of NYSC flying in their characters and comportment.

“Some of the Corps members did not live up to expectation and will be punished in accordance with the NYSC bye laws” 

“To that effect, eighteen, eight male and Ten female will repeat the whole service year while twenty five, thirteen male and twelve female will serve extension of service ranging from one to four months on half pay”.

“I strongly believe that this should serve as a deterrent to the 2021Bath B and C Corps members still on ground, who should learn a lesson from this”, she said.

Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, congratulated the Corps members for a successful service to their fatherland.

Umahi commended the Corps Members for impacting positively on pupils, students and their host communities.

He charged them to remain steadfast in their commitment to the nation’s building.

The State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Charles Akpuenika, who represented the Governor urged them to participate in the 2023 electoral process.

Umahi: “As much as I encourage you to participate actively, let the peace and unity of the nation, fair play as well as discipline, be your watch words and guiding principles”.

“As change agents, and ambassadors of the NYSC scheme, I charge you to be part of history by striving to build a nation that is peaceful, genuinely united and economically viable.”