Owerri – The Imo Governor, Mr Rochas Okorocha, has called on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to always defend the unity and progress of the country.
Okorocha gave the advice on Friday at the official opening of the orientation course for the 2017 Batch ‘A’ Stream (11) corps members deployed to Imo at the NYSC Permanent Camp, Eziama Obaire, Nkwerre Local Government area.
He said the NYSC epitomised the true symbol of the nation’s unity, brotherhood and integration.
Okorocha, who was represented by Mr Basil Aharanwa, the Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s Office, said that government considered corps members as important stakeholders in the country’s quest for a better life for the people.
“The nation is ours; we must do everything possible to defend its unity for our own good.
“I implore you, as you join the scheme today, to reach out to the people of your host community in your little way to promote the unity and well being of the people you will be exposed to,” he said.
The governor called on them to avoid hate speeches, divisive comments, unnecessary bickering and rumour mongering, but to remain disciplined, focused, steadfast and law abiding.
He congratulated the corps members on their deployment to serve in the state, noting that the government would not hesitate to reward corps members that would distinguish themselves in the service year.
Earlier, the State NYSC Coordinator, Mr James Olugbodi, said that the orientation course had been structured to adequately prepare the corps members for the task ahead, particularly against the rigours of the service year.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes the coordinator as saying that the training programme encompassed lectures, para-military drills, man ‘o’ war, language studies, games, cooking, environmental sanitation, skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development, among others.
He said that 1,515 corps members were posted to the state comprising 777 males and 738 females.
Olugbodi expressed deep appreciation to the Imo Government for the things done for the NYSC in the state, particularly the construction of water borehole and the ongoing construction of additional hostels in the orientation camp.
The corps members later swore to oath of allegiance administered to them by the Chief Judge of Imo, Justice Pascal Nnadi, represented by Justice Fred Njemanze.
He charged the corps members to always bear in mind the laudable objectives of the scheme as enshrined in the NYSC Act, 1973, adding that the scheme is a veritable instrument for national unity and self actualisation. (NAN)