Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State on Tuesday commended the National Youth Service Corps for its unwavering commitment to foster unity and promotion of national integration.
Governor Bago gave the commendation at Paiko Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
He spoke at the swearing in of the “2023 Batch C, Stream 1” corps members deployed to Niger State and those redeployed from the Federal Capital Territory for their three weeks orientation programme.
The Governor was represented by Yahaya Gulbin-Boka, Commissioner for Youth and Sport Development.
He noted that the NYSC scheme had narrowed ethnic and religious cleavages as young people gathered from different parts of the country to serve in a one-year programme after their graduation from tertiary institutions.
He promised to provide an enabling environment for the corps members for their personal growth and successful execution of community development projects.
READ ALSO:
Iyalode: Ogun to liaise with family on burial arrangements
Olubadan lists panacea to Nigeria’s current challenges
Makinde likely to surpass first term achievements — Commissioner
Bago encouraged the corps members to assimilate the local culture, tradition and practices of their host communities by listening to their stories and their needs.
In her address of welcome, Abdulwahab Olayinka, NYSC Coordinator in Niger State, said the orientation programme was designed to prepare the corps members for the tasks of the service year.
Olayinka advised the corps members to participate in camp activities and learn from any of the skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development programmes as white-collar jobs were not readily available.
“Let me remind you that the oath of allegiance is important and is expected to guide your conduct in the service year and have significant influence on your lives,” she said.
Olayinka advised the corps members to distance themselves from drug abuse, cultism and use of social media to spread fake news or to fuel of and other untoward purposes.
She enjoined the corps members to, instead promote national unity, be security conscious and report suspicious characters to appropriate authorities.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a representative of the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim, administered the oath of allegiance on the 2,203 corps members deployed in the state.