Sanwo-Olu urges corps members on transparency in performing election duties

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has charged members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to discharge their electoral duties with high sense of transparency and integrity.

Sanwo-Olu gave the charge on Monday, when members of the NYSC National Governing Board, led by the Chairman, Amb. Fatima Abubakar, paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Marina.

He said that many of them would be engaged in the forthcoming general elections as ad hoc staff, hence, should see the task as one to be discharged with a high sense of responsibility and impartiality.

According to him, corps members should handle with transparency and integrity any national assignment entrusted to them, as the manner they engage the tasks will be counted as their own service to the nation.

He said that the state’s support to the scheme was to enable corps members to show high sense of commitment and responsibility in discharging assignments.

Sanwo-olu said they should do in the course of the service year, including their ad hoc engagements in electoral process.

He said that the state government approved a monthly stipend for them that was about three times higher than what other states paid,

The governor said this was to make them comfortable and to enable them to contribute their efforts towards development.

”As a responsible government, we understand how critical the contributions of corps members are to accelerate development in communities across the state.

”Beyond being graduates serving their country, they are also the leaders we will be passing the baton of leadership to in not too distant future.

“As such, we see corps members as part of those we need to help develop and take their comfort as our responsibilities.

”While we cannot carry the burden of the whole country, whoever gets posted to undertake the national youth service in Lagos will have the best of their time.

”We are happy that our modest contributions have been acknowledged by the NYSC and appreciated.

We will continue to support the scheme to ensure corps members reflect high sense of commitment and responsibility in assignments they take up,” he said.

The governor informed the board members that the effort for the relocation of the scheme’s activities to the proposed permanent site in Agbowa was on course,

He said that the government had commenced the construction of the NYSC permanent orientation facility.

Sanwo-Olu acceded to the board’s request of additional ambulance for Lagos NYSC Orientation Camp in Iyana Ipaja, for quick response to medical emergencies.

”We will continue to do what we can to ensure the scheme remains relevant to our national development,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of NYSC National Governing Board, Amb. Fatima Abubakar, said Lagos remained the only state across the federation that was supporting the scheme with quarterly subvention to keep activities going.

Abubakar commended the state government for setting up state-of-the-art security apparatus at the Iyana Ipaja NYSC Orientation Camp and for prompt payment of state allowances to corps members.

”We have found out that Lagos is one of the most friendly states to the scheme. Our State coordinator has full access to all government stakeholders, which is the reason the scheme is being run smoothly in Lagos.

”Lagos Government, without being prompted, pays quarterly subventions to the scheme in the state.

This is a major progress for NYSC, because we know what the scheme is going through in other states.

”This is something unique and we convey our appreciation to the governor for this opportunity,” she said.

Sanwo-Olu received the NYSC Board members in company of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and Special Adviser on Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mobolaji Ogunlende.