COVID-19: NYSC governing board calls for conducive isolation centre

The national governing board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has appealed to Ekiti Government for a conducive COVID-19 isolation centre at the state NYSC orientation camp.

Amb. Fatima Bala, chairperson of the board made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to Gov. Kayode Fayemi in Ado-Ekiti.

Bala said that board members were in Ekiti to inspect facilities at the orientation camp andl report whatever observation made to the government for improvement.

She said that some of the challenges of the scheme in Ekiti were, non-conducive COVID-19 isolation centre and clinics among others.

“There is an isolation centre on camp, because of COVID-19 pandemic, but we noticed that the centre is not conducive.

“The clinic on camp needs expansion, there are only two or three beds in the clinic at the moment. Subsequently, if more patients are recorded, it will become a challenge.

“The kitchen is not conducive, if it rains heavily, there might be disaster and there is no personal office accommodation,” Bala observed.

She appealed to the government to help overcome the challenges because of the young people posted to the state to serve.

Responding, Fayemi, who said most of the challenges identified were new to him, added that it was long he personally visited the camp because of exigencies beyond his control.

The governor promised to enhance the capacity of the NYSC scheme in the state in order to make it achieve its national objectives.

“We are in the process of accelerating the completion of the Federal Secretariat. I am sure that will address accommodation challenge.

“For other challenges, I will ensure that the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development work with the Ministry of Works to salvage the situation.

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“We do not want to undermine the safety of corps members posted to the state,” Fayemi said.

The governor promised to do everything within his strength to assist corps members in the state.

He apologised for the violence during March 20 bye-election at Omuo-Ekiti, in Ekiti East Local Government Area, where a corps member was hit by bullet.

Fayemi assured that the perpetrators would be punished for the crime.

In her speech, the state coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Mary Chikezie thanked Fayemi’s administration for supporting the scheme.