By Onyeje Abutu-Joel
Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue has called on corps members to contribute to the development of the nation by giving back to their host communities in the course of their service year.
Alia made the call during the closing ceremony of the orientation course organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for Batch ‘C’ Stream II corps members in Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area of Benue, on Tuesday.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange, Alia charged the corps members to display intellectual and physical service wherever they are posted in order to add value and improve the lives of their host communities better than they met them.
The governor insisted that they must discharge their duties with diligence, dedication and serve as good ambassadors of the nation while contributing meaningfully to nation building.
He assured the corps members that the government has put proactive security measures in place to ensure their safety throughout their service year.
“You need not entertain any iota of fear in your various places of primary assignments because the state government has put proactive security measures in place to ensure your safety throughout your service year,” Alia said.
He also told the corps members that Benue people were peace-loving and accommodating, imploring them to be open to the warm reception that would be given to them in their host communities.
Alia reiterated the continuous support of his administration for the NYSC scheme in Benue, urging them to keep faith with the government.
Also speaking, the Benue Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Veronica Garba, congratulated the corps members for the successful completion of the orientation course and urged them to participate actively in community development programmes in their places of primary assignments.
Garba further urged them to put all that they had learnt during the programme to good use and be good ambassadors of the scheme, their families, and institutions of graduation.
She advised them to stay away from all negative acts that are inimical to the image of the NY&C and their families, especially drug abuse and trafficking, cultism, and bribery.
“You should rather try as much as possible to promote the image of the scheme by striving towards the development of your host communities through Community Development Service,” the coordinator advised. NAN
