Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has assured the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s continued support to improve the welfare of corps members and maximise their contribution to the socio-economic development of the state.
Governor Otti gave the assurance when the 23rd Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, led a delegation of the scheme on a courtesy visit at his office in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
The governor said his administration regards corps members deployed to Abia not merely as visitors undertaking national service, but as members of the state’s wider community.
Governor Otti who noted his administration had already embarked on significant rehabilitation of the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Umunna, Bende Local Government Area, confirmed that he had already approved the commencement of the second phase of renovation works at the camp.
He explained that the approval for the second phase was part of efforts to provide corps members with a safe and conducive environment throughout their service year.
Governor Otti recalled that he was “very embarrassed” by the state of the facility when he first visited it, saying the condition of the camp prompted his administration to commence renovation and rebuilding works.
“I remember the first time I went there, I was very embarrassed. I think that was 2023, right? I was very embarrassed at the decay.
“I am glad with the progress that we have made”, Governor Otti said.
The Governor assured the NYSC leadership that the state government would continue to cooperate with the scheme and respond to areas where its intervention was required to improve the experience of corps members serving in Abia.
“Whatever we can do, please don’t hesitate to let the commissioner know. And then I’ll take your number. And if you have anything that we can help you with, we’ll be happy to do that”, governor Otti said.
The Governor thanked the NYSC DG for acknowledging the relative peace in Abia, which he (NYSC Director-General) had earlier identified as a major factor enabling the deployment of corps members across the State, attribuing the feat to the efforts of security agencies and residents.
He however called for the deployment of more healthcare personnel, noting that it would be valuable to the state as his administration intensifies efforts to expand access to quality healthcare services across Abia.
The governor disclosed that about 200 primary healthcare centres had been rehabilitated by the state government, while another 77 had been renovated with World Bank support.
Earlier, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, commended Governor Otti for his intervention at the NYSC orientation camp.
Nafiu who said he visited the camp before meeting the governor, disclosed that the first phase of the renovation has improved the facilities at the camp also expressed appreciation to Governor Otti for providing and furnishing a new NYSC State Secretariat.
The NYSC DG who disclosed that 8,890 corps members were currently serving in the state, comprising 5,083 females and 3,805 males,
attributed the high number of female corps members serving in Abia State to the relative peace and security prevailing in the state.
According to him, corps members from 29 states of the federation were represented among those currently serving in Abia, adding that the security situation had also enabled NYSC to deploy corps members across all the local government areas of Abia.
“To us in NYSC, especially at the management level, any state where you find more female corps members than male, it speaks to something, and that is that there is peace.
“In most other states, we have one, two, or even more local governments where we cannot deploy corps members because, as a matter of fact, we don’t deploy corps members where threat exists. So we say we don’t put them in harm’s way”, he said.
Nafiu commended Otti’s administration for its efforts to sustain peace and security in the state, saying the NYSC’s deployment pattern reflects the confidence of the scheme in the prevailing environment.
The NYSC DG warned that the increasing number of graduates being produced by tertiary institutions across Nigeria, saying the development would require states like Abia to expand NYSC orientation facilities.
He also praised Abia for attracting medical corps members, saying the state currently has about 343 medical personnel serving under the NYSC.
Nafiu disclosed that the number include 53 doctors, 53 pharmacists and 117 nurses, among other healthcare professionals and noted that the situation contrasted with some states where medical professionals posted under the scheme were reluctant to report for service.
“In a particular state, we posted 15 doctors, none reported. Zero. We posted 30 nurses, none went. Pharmacists, only one,” he said.
Nafiu said the willingness of medical corps members to serve in Abia was an indication that they considered the state conducive and assured the governor that the NYSC would continue to deploy corps members to contribute to the development of Abia.
