The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied speculations suggesting it reopened orientation camps across Nigeria in order to benefit its contractors amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recall that the corps released postings for 2020 Batch “B” Stream II corps members on Friday. This was despite the recommendation of the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that while the NYSC programme could continue, the three-week orientation exercise should be suspended for two years.
Following announcement that the orientation course would commence on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, a report surfaced, suggesting that the NYSC ignored calls to close the camps “because contractors will lose”.
However, in a statement issued by the corps management on Saturday, it said the story, in its entirety, is “full of inconsistencies, lacking in facts and accuracy”.
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The management noted that safety measures have been put in place to ensure that’d the exercise goes smoothly, adding that only corps members who test negative for COVID-19 are admitted into the camps.
“Management hereby states that in March, 2020, guided by the Scheme’s cardinal policy of prioritising the welfare and safety of Corps Members, staff and collaborating agencies, shutdown the 37 camps of the Scheme across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” the statement read in part.
“The proactive move which was devoid of prod from any quarter was to safeguard the Corps Members and NYSC Officials from contracting the dreaded Coronavirus, an action in consonance with the afore stated policy of the Corps.
“In November, 2020, the Scheme after putting in place necessary measures for safe reopening of camps, and guided by the Centre for Disease Control reopened its camps.
“It is imperative to restate that everyone coming into the NYSC camps must undergo COVID-19 test, Corps Members and officials alike. Only those that test negative are admitted into the camps.
“The same measures adopted for the November and December, 2020 Orientation courses are going to be applied to the 2020 Batch “B” Stream II Orientation course commencing, Tuesday, 19th January, 2021, with stricter enforcement of all the safety protocols. The NYSC and NCDC are working closely for a successful exercise as recorded previously.”
The management, therefore, advised members of the public to disregard the “unbalanced and cooked-up reportage designed to deliberately create fear and panic in the minds of unsuspecting Nigerians”.
“Management shall continue to give priority attention to the welfare of Corps Members and Officials,” the statement added.
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