15th November, 2023
By Sani Idris
The Director-General (D-G) of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed has strongly warned corps members against embarking on night journeys, noting that so many lives of participants in the scheme have been lost through such ventures.
Speaking during a visit to the Kaduna State NYSC temporary orientation camp on Tuesday, Ahmed lamented that the scheme has lost many corps members to night journeys,
He therefore warned the Corps members that night journeys are dangerous and instead, they should break their journeys when it is getting late.
The NYSC D-G noted that at times some of the drivers are not familiar with the state of the roads or are tired, hence, the prevalence of road accidents.
“I have harped on avoiding night journeys in every NYSC camp and fora I find myself, my priority is the safety of your lives.
“If you decide to embark on a night journey, remember the dangers associated with it and rethink, your lives are precious to us too.
“Once you are on a journey and realise it is already 5:pm, break up the journey, have a place to sleep and continue the following day,” Ahmed advised.
He said that most of the drivers were not familiar with the roads, which usually causes accidents, among other factors like driving when tired.
The director-general also advised the corps members to be security conscious, saying that no one would secure their lives more than they would do so.
Ahmed further advised them to restrict social media to their consumption, while tasking them on respect for constituted authorities.
Ahmed also tasked them with continuing with the regimentation they had undergone in camp after their service year, adding that it would help them achieve greatness in all their endeavours.
“Uphold the ideals of patriotism, diligence, loyalty, respect for others’ culture/tradition and self-empowerment while in service and beyond,” he added.
Ahmed commended the camp officials and corps members for their orderliness and regimentation spirit while restating his administration’s commitment to taking the scheme to greater heights.
Earlier, the State NYSC Coordinator, Mr Hassan Taura, explained that the orientation course was designed to mould the corps members into highly disciplined and patriotic youths, capable of leading the country to greater heights.
For that reason, he said, they participate in all the activities in the camp which include military drills, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development training, language studies, leadership and martial arts training as well as lectures on national topical issues.
Taura, therefore, appealed to the director-general for a better operating environment and to address some challenges faced in the orientation camp like inadequate amenities.
He, however, thanked him for his positive disposition to the smooth operation of the scheme.
The high point of the event was a cultural dance and cash donation to some of the corps members who distinguished themselves in camp activities.
The corps members, who were of the 2023 batch ‘C’ stream ‘1’, officially began the orientation course on November 7.
(NAN)