BY EDMOND ODOK – Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed has warned that the Service will no longer condone dress code abuse by Corps members during and after the orientation course.
Consequently, General Ahmed directed all State and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Coordinators to enforce the dress code while also charging relevant officials to effectively monitor the level of compliance during routine inspection visits.
Speaking at the 2023 Batch ‘C’ pre-mobilisation workshop in Abuja yesterday with the theme, “Enhancing The Orientation Course As a Veritable Tool For Leadership Development And Economic Empowerment”, the Director General said; “The NYSC uniform is a brand, which, apart from being a mark of identity, should be a source of pride for corps members.
“Regrettably, management has observed that most corps members violate the official dress code and even tamper with the original design of the uniform. Therefore, State/FCT coordinators are hereby directed to enforce the dress code both during and after the orientation course, directors are to monitor the level of compliance during routine inspection visits.”
The NYSC boss, while noting that the workshop was held to review the conduct of the previous orientation courses with a view to strategizing for enhanced performance, also tasked State Coordinators to take the campaign against night travel by Corps members to motor parks, transport companies, and other relevant stakeholders before the commencement of the orientation course.
He further noted that; “Unauthorised travel by corps members is a recurring problem that has become a nightmare for the scheme. Consequently, avoidable incidents, such as road accidents and abduction of prospective corps members on their way to their states of deployment, have put us in the spotlight in recent times.”
General Ahmed, who said all hands must be on deck in putting measures in place to “curtail this negative trend”, assured that the safety and security of all Corps members remain a top priority in all aspects of the NYSC operations.
In his remarks at the occasion, the NYSC’s Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Ahmed Wada Ikaka said as the first point of contact for Corps members, the orientation camp is meant to create a lasting and positive impression in their minds serving the country.
