Coronavirus: Niger Corps members react to closure of camps

Reactions have trailed the closure of the National Youth Service Corps camp in Paiko, Niger State.
The State Coordinator, Funmilayo Ajayi, announced the shutdown of activities following the Director General’s order that all orientation camps across the country be shut as preventive and precautionary measures against Covid 19 (coronavirus) among Corps Members, especially Batch ‘A’ stream one.
Ajayi, while addressing the corps members in the early hours of Wednesday, said the directive was from the National headquarters of the NYSC in line with the Federal Government’s drive to check the spread of the Convid-19.
It should be noted that vehicles are brought from all the local government areas to convey Corps members posted for easy access to their Places of Primary Assignments.
But because of the sudden order, no vehicle was on ground, meaning only those posted to Bosso, Chanchaga, Paikoro, Suleja, Gurara, Tafa, Wushishi, Lapai and Shiroro out of the 25 LGAs may leave the camp today (Wednesday) and others to stay till tomorrow (Thursday) as Niger State is vast in landmass.
A staff, who pleaded anonymity, told The Eagle Online: “Payment of allowances comprising of bicycle and monthly allowances would be made before the Corps members leave the camp.
“These corps members are our children.
“The most important thing is to take precautions; they will be conveyed to their respective Places of Primary Assignment before leaving the state.”
When Our Correspondent visited the NYSC camp, Paiko, most corps members were jubilating, while some expressed unhappiness about the sudden twist, saying the virus threat “didn’t stop us” from camp activities.
A disappointed Corps member said: “I am not happy about this.
“But what can I do?
“There was no case of the virus, yet they shut down when we have barely a week to end orientation camp.
“Most of us are not prepared yet.
“I hope they won’t tell us some day that we didn’t complete camping.”
Another devastated Corps member, who only disclosed her first name as Vera, said: “If there is no Coronavirus here, why shut down the camp?
“We have been in camp for about two weeks remaining a week or so and we heard orientation camp is closed and we should vacate.
“It is obvious most of us might just return home.
“There is no case or infected person.”
Another Corps member, Omotayo, told our Correspondent that she was already tired of the camp, adding: “The Government’s action is a welcome development.
“They are posting us to our various PPA.
“It’s now left for us to quickly locate these places, settle down and serve our country.”
When The Eagle Online visited the Mammy Market, a disappointed trader lamented the abrupt shut down of camping activities, saying: “We (traders) are at greater loss because we have not recouped our capital and money spent to construct our temporary shops.
“They (officials) woke us up to this shocking news.
“There is no case of Coronavirus here.
“They should not have closed down all the camps.
“There are precautions already to forestall any eventuality.
“We are really at a great loss because some of us took loans.”
At the Camp, Corps members were seen with their white vests and shorts doing documentation and collecting their letters of posting to PPAs, while others have arranged their bags making various calls.