By Nkechi Eze
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has commended the Rivers State Government for its consistent and far-reaching support to the scheme, especially in ensuring the welfare and comfort of Corps members deployed to the state.
In an official statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, NYSC, Caroline Embu, it was disclosed that the NYSC helmsman gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Brigadier General Nafiu expressed particular appreciation for the State Government’s mobility support, its payment of monthly allowances to Corps members, and its plans to overhaul facilities at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Nonwa-Gbam. He stated that these interventions alongside the warm hospitality of the people of Rivers State had contributed significantly to attracting more Corps members to serve in the state.
He assured the Governor that the NYSC would continue to play a vital role in advancing the socio-economic development of the state. However, he appealed for the relocation of the NYSC State Secretariat to a more serene and suitable location within the capital city, noting that such a move would enhance administrative efficiency.
The NYSC DG highlighted that he was in Rivers State to visit the 2,586 Corps members of the 2025 Batch ‘C’ currently undergoing Orientation Course at the Permanent Orientation Camp. He further revealed that 8,349 Corps members of Rivers origin, comprising 3,374 males and 4,975 females were deployed to serve in various states across the country.
Nafiu disclosed that the Scheme is projecting the mobilisation of about 650,000 Corps members nationwide next year, stressing that this anticipated surge underscores the need for additional hostel facilities in the state’s Orientation Camp to accommodate rising numbers.
In his response, Governor Siminalayi Fubara welcomed the Director-General and reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to the welfare of Corps members. He noted that the facilities at the Orientation Camp had already been upgraded by his administration and emphasized that the hospitable nature of Rivers people had continued to endear the state to young Nigerians serving under the scheme.
Governor Fubara assured that the government would provide further support to the NYSC State Secretariat, while also ensuring a conducive environment for the South-South Area Office 2 located in Port Harcourt. He reiterated that the NYSC remains a vital national institution and that Rivers State would always prioritise initiatives that safeguard and enhance the Corps members’ living and working conditions.
