NYSC Contributes to Electoral Credibility, Says Ikpeazu
Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu Thursday said that the involvement of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the conduct of elections has brought credibility to the nation’s electoral process.
He expressed this view at the NYSC permanent orientation camp at Umunna in Bende Local Government Area during the swearing ceremony of 2,182 corps members deployed to Abia State for the 2017 Batch ‘B’ Stream I orientation course.
The Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) has been engaging NYSC members as ad hoc staff in National elections, including the just concluded governorship poll in Anambra State which was generally applauded as credible.
“The success of the 2011 and 2015 general elections was due in large part to the uncommon patriotism and diligence of NYSC members who participated in the exercise,” he said in his address read by the Secretary to Abia State Government (SSG), Dr. Eme Okoro.
Ikpeazu stated that the NYSC scheme has not only lived up to the purpose of its establishment but has broken new grounds in the areas of skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development, health initiative for rural dwellers, environmental sanitation, agriculture and educational development.
He assured that his administration was “resolutely committed to providing the enabling environment to enable corps members perform, adding that he would soon commence rehabilitation work on the NYSC orientation camp.
The Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Ike Anyatonwu, who is the chairman of the NYSC state governing board, urged the corps members “to take every aspect and segment of the camp activities very seriously.”
Earlier in her address the NYSC state coordinator, Mrs. Francesca Ifon, reiterated the commitment of the scheme to assist in the development of Abia especially in the areas of healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and rural development.
According to her, the NYSC in Abia “are serious” with skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development (SAED) hence it won first prize in cake making and artistry and second position in bag and shoe making during the maiden edition of the NYSC SAED Festival and competition held in Abuja recently.
She noted that by participating in SAED competition and winning the prizes the NYSC in Abia has not only showcased Abia State as ‘home of enterprise’ but also living up to such ranking.