From Esther Akaa, Lafia
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has charged the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members under-going orientation in the state, to observe the COVID-19 preventive measures given by the Federal Ministry of Health, to prevent further spread of the virus in the state.
Governor Sule gave the charge on Monday at the swearing in ceremony of the 2020 Batch B, Stream 1A Corps members held At the NYSC, Magaji Dan Yanmusa Orientation Camp in Keffi Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, the harsh impact of COVID-19 on the country and the world has created a devastating effect on the economy, resulting in deaths, affecting normal activities, including the NYSC yearly activities for corps members.
He said, inspite the achievements recorded in the fight against the virus, NYSC officials and corps members must continue to strictly comply to the federal and state governments approved preventive protocols, in order to avoid any spread in the camp and the state at large.
“Although major strides have been made towards the control of the pandemic, yet the virus is still very much around. Therefore, I call on you all to comply with the preventive protocols in place so that we will have a hitch free orientation exercise
“I also urge you to use the opportunity availed by this national assignment to contribute to your immediate community and other areas especially, healthcare, education, agriculture, environment as well as cultural integration.
“Indeed, I also call on you to exhibit tolerance, discipline, resilience and perseverance in participating in all camp activities to fully derive maximum benefits in the camp,” Governor Sule said.
He, further charged the corps members to participate in the various camp activities, meant to build their psychological, physical and mental capabilities, assuring of his administration’s support to projects initiated by the scheme.
Earlier, the state Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Stephen Dewan, said inspite of the effect of the pandemic, corps members were providing necessary interventions to government at all levels to mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
Mr Dewan revealed that so far, 849 corps members, comprising 603 deployed to Nasarawa State and 246 corps members deployed to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), were carrying out their orientation exercise in Nasarawa State, due to congestion at the camp in the FCT as it was in accordance with the social distancing rule of COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am proud to say that the NYSC corps members in Nasarawa State were the first to produce the prescribed mitigation materials such as face masks, hand sanitisers and hand washing liquids as well as carrying out sensitisation and advocacy.
“Infact, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria certified the face masks produced by our corps members. Furthermore, we partnered with the state government to ensure the people of the state, benefitted from our mitigation efforts, including the production of 5000 face masks for distribution to street children popularly known as almajirai.
“For the Nasarawa State corps members, 280 are males, 323 are females while for the FCT corps members, 111 are males while 135 are females. After the exercise, they will all be posted their various states,” he said.
He thanked the state government for their support to the scheme, including the prompt payment of state allowances of corps members, even during the lock down caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, even as he promised strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols during and after orientation exercises.
