Jonathan Nwokpor
According to Zemoh Andrew, the coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Cross River State, the programme no longer assigns corps members to Bakassi Local Government Area or other troubled areas in the State.
This is despite the fact that 1,734 additional corps members have come to the State to begin their duty.
In an interview conducted in his office, he stated that they take great care to ensure the safety of their colleagues who are sent to the State.
“We haven’t had Corps members sent to Bakassi because of crises and insecurity. We don’t intend to do so. We won’t also deploy any to other volatile communities.
“We have only four of them in Akpabuyo LGA which had cases of volatility. The four are serving with security agencies and are safe.
“Our zonal coordinators and inspectors are always at the ready in cases of emergencies to evacuate them,” he said.
Although they do raise awareness of the greater benefits available in rural communities, Andrew clarified that they do not also send those who dislike the sea to coastal areas.
“We don’t compel them to go to riverine communities, especially those of them that have a phobia for rivers,” he said.
He verified that their driver and a large number of the Akwa Ibom State corps members who were abducted while traveling through Sokoto State several months ago in order to fulfill their national service are being freed.
He said that the kidnappers had only freed a small number.
“Many of the Corps members kidnapped near Sokoto are being released. Their driver has also been released. Only few of the Corps members are left with the kidnappers. The DG of the Scheme had to relocate from Abuja to Zamfara State. Those remaining will be released soon as our management team is relentless,” he said.
As corps members prepared to camp together, he made a plea to the state government and cooperating partners to step in and improve the facilities at the Obubra Orientation Camp.
According to Andrew, the camp needs renovations because the host town lacks access to electricity, and they must purchase expensive diesel to run their two generators.
He praised the camp’s security measures.
Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it.
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.
