Lagos camp free of disease, says Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday urged corps members and the country not to be scared as the state’s orientation camp was free of coronavirus, saying all facilities were in place.He said corps members were also being monitored to avoid infection throughout their stay at the camp and beyond.

The governor also charged the 2020 Batch A, Stream One National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members to take advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to become economically independent after their mandatory one-year service.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins gave the charge during the swearing in ceremony at the Orientation Camp in Iyana-Ipaja.

He said the programme, which has been specifically designed to train and prepare corps members, would help make them more employable, be financially and economically independent, and reduce unemployment in the state and entire country.

The governor also charged the corps members to show commitment and dedication, while they participate actively in all activities during their service year.

“Being called up for national service is a privilege hinged on the successful completion of your various academic programmes. The orientation course is indeed the first step on a worthy journey in the service of our fatherland,” he added.

State Coordinator of NYSC, Eddy Megwa said, “With the promise of the state government, the orientation camp would be moved to its ultra-modern permanent site with a capacity of 20, 000 corps members.”

He explained that Lagos, being the most populous city with about 20 million residents was working to ensure that it received more corps members, adding that efforts to ensure the camp was moved from the temporary site in Iyana-Ipaja, which has capacity for 2,300 corps members and about 400 camp officials to the new site at Ikorodu was in progress.

Megwa further stated that about 2,169 corps members have been registered so far, comprising 1,004 males and 1,165 females, urging them to contribute their quota to nation building.

“We celebrate these young graduates, who have been confirmed full-fledged corps members. It is my prayer that God will protect them and the entire camp officials all through the orientation period and the national service,” he added.