NYSC chief cautions against employing youths who evade service

THE Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brigadier-General Johnson Bamidele Olawumi, has decried the employment of corp members who skipped national service into the public service, saying such practice violates the extant laws.

Olawumi, who frowned at this development in the civil service while speaking at the 2015 Batch ‘B’ pre-orientation workshop yesterday in Makurdi, urged federal and state Civil Service Commission, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs as well as the private entrepreneurs to ensure that only those who possess the NYSC completion certificate or exemption certificate from national service are employed so as not to contravene the NYSC Act.

Brig-Gen Olawumi also called on the federal and state governments to increase funding to the scheme in view of the growing number of participants yearly.

He also appealed to stakeholders, especially employers of labour to join hands with the scheme in mentoring corps members to be patriotic, committed citizens for the benefit of the nation.

The NYSC boss also thanked the state government for its support to the scheme, especially in the provision of a new borehole in the NYSC camp in Wannune, supply of additional mattresses and beds to alleviate accommodation challenges in the camp as well as augmenting the feeding of corps members during the last exercise and recruiting additional security personnel to secure the camp facilities.

In his remark before declaring the workshop open, the state governor, Samuel Ortom, said government has earmarked funds for the completion of work at the permanent NYSC orientation camp in Wannune.

He stated that the state government has discussed with the contractors handling projects at the camp and funds would be set aside for their payment.

The theme of the workshop is “Enhancing the core values of the scheme in the face of contemporary challenges.” Participants to the workshop are drawn from all the 36 states, including Abuja.