By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
Ibadan – The NYSC has stepped up scheduled and unscheduled inspection of corps members in their places of primary assignment to check evasion of service.
The Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Ifeoma Anidobi, disclosed this in Ibadan on Thursday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Anidobi said that field inspectors had been put on their toes to pay impromptu visits at members’ places of primary assignments.
She said that prominent among the challenges in the administration of corps members were corps rejection, under utilisation and evasion of service.
Anidobi said that evasion of service was when a corps member connived with stakeholders to abandon the service and compromise the service rules in order to be issued certificate of national service.
She said the introduction of monthly biometric administration of corps employers and corps members’ Community Development Service (CDS) weekly clearance had assisted the management in checking the menace.
The coordinator frowned at the practice of majority of members serving in schools who believed that there was a pause in service once the schools were on holidays.
She, therefore, urged principals and head teachers to think outside the box and find ways of engaging members under their watch during holidays.
Anidobi also urged NYSC officers to always monitor corps members during holidays and engage them in more community work.
She advised that corps employers should take corps members as their children and relations and make their service year worthwhile.
“Corps members spend the largest chunk of their service year with employers, so it’s what the employers make of them that will be etched in their memory of NYSC.
“Employers should be present on camp ground at the end of their orientation course to convey corps members posted to them to their locations.
“They should provide basic accommodation for the members; where it’s not available they should pay the amount of money in lieu.
“All welfare facilities normally given to regular staff, including medical services, should also be given to the corps members,” she said.
Anidobi urged the members to imbibe the culture of selflessness, hard work and self-reliance.
She advised them to learn the rudiments of citizenship, leadership and develop a sense of corporate existence and a common destiny for Nigerians.
banker of the day - FREE banker tips from experts