Richard Ginika Izuora
The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has said the Call Up Letters for Prospective Corps Members that will participate in the 2022 Batch ‘B’ Orientation Course will be available on Sunday.
The NYSC Director General, DG, Brigadier General Muhammad Kaku Fadah disclosed this during a webinar jointly organized by the NYSC and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as part of efforts to sustain the safe conduct of Orientation Exercise.
He said though there is a decline in COVID-19 cases worldwide, there is the need “not to let down our guards until the disease is totally eradicated”.
Fadah added that the Scheme has made adequate preparations to ensure the safety of all Camp participants across the 37 Camps nationwide.
He said since the post-lockdown resumption of Orientation Courses, the Scheme has adopted strict compliance with all safety guidelines before, during and after the exercises.
He enjoined all Prospective Corps Members to ensure strict compliance to all the established safety protocols in camp.
The Director General used the webinar to advise all Prospective Corps Members to be security conscious, especially when travelling to their States of deployment.
“You are strongly advised to board vehicles at only officially designated motor parks. You must also avoid night journeys at all cost” the DG said.
In his contribution, the Director General of National Centre for Disease Control, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa said all Prospective Corps Members including other camp participants must undergo the COVID-19 test, and only those that test negative will be admitted to the Camps.
He stated that in the event of any positive result, arrangements have been made with the NCDC and State Health officials for the cases to be handled in designated treatment Centers outside the Orientation Camp.
Adetifa said the NCDC would continue to practise and demonstrate preventive measures against COVID-19.
He added that no single death has been recorded in any NYSC Orientation Camp since the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria till date.
The NCDC Project Lead for Safe Camp Re-opening, Dr Ladun Okuromade in her contributions said every part of the country has been affected by COVID-19.
She advised the prospective Corps Members to utilise the opportunity of the NYSC Orientation Course to complete their COVID-19 vaccination.
She said COVID-19 screening is compulsory while COVID-19 vaccination is optional.
“COVID-19 is still with us and we need to ensure strict compliance.
The NYSC/NCDC Guidelines for a safe opening and smooth running of the camp would be maintained in all NYSC Orientation Camps nationwide”, Okuromade said.