Camp closure: We may combine orientation programmes for two streams – DG

In compliance to the Federal Government strategy to stem the Civic – 19 pandemic, the National Youth Service Corps Orientation exercise for Batch A, stream one and two may be combined when the camps reopen nationwide, the National Youth Service Corps, has said.

Prospective corps members for Batch A, stream II were expected to begin the orientation programme on 2nd of April, 2020, nationwide before the scheme hurriedly shut down its camps nationwide on Wednesday following fears of coronavirus.

The management of the NYSC said the decision was a precautionary measure to prevent the outbreak of the disease in camps during the Batch A stream one orientation exercise.

The Director – General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, in a phone interview, said all programmes for the orientation course remained suspended indefinitely.

He said the management of the NYSC will review its decision once it gets further clearance from the National Centre for Disease Control and the Federal Ministry of Health, that things are fine.

The NYSC DG said: “Everything remains suspended until further notice. When we get clearance when things improve we will return. We will continue to monitor the situation. Once we get clearance and things are okay we can now recall them and take further decision on stream two.

“I remember during Ebola the exercise was also suspended like this. Later they joined both the stream one and two to complete the orientation programme. But for now we will wait for further clearance. Once we get directive that things are clear and everything is okay we can now take further decision.

“The lives of the corps members are more important. Once things improve, we may call all of them together (Batch A stream one and two) as the case may be but for now, we have to wait and get clearance.

“Things are changing. The federal government is taking proactive measures so we also have to be careful.

“Once we get clearance from the National Centre for Disease Control and the Federal Ministry of Health, that things are okay, we will return to camp. These ones that have already been sworn in are already corps members and they have been posted to their primary place of assignment.”

“When things improve we will return them back (to camp) to complete the training because the orientation is very critical.

Earlier, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, had said the corps members would be released to resume at their places of primary assignment.

The minister tweeted that the closure was a precautionary measure on coronavirus.

He said: “Today across the country, the NYSC orientation camps will be closed and youth corpers will be paid and sent to the places of primary assignment.

“This again is a precautionary measure on the part of the government to check the spread of COVID -19. The DG will provide details.”