By Isaiah Eka
Gov Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom has promised to renovate dilapidated infrastructure in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp, to make it conducive for those deployed to the State.
Eno made the promise during the swearing-in of 2025 Batch A Stream 1 corps members posted to the state at the permanent orientation camp, Ikot Itie Udung, in Nsit Atai LGA on Friday.
The Governor, represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Ekerete Ekanem, urged corps members to make good use of the opportunity given to them to serve their fatherland.
“I have been informed about the dilapidated state of your infrastructure on camp.
“Let me assure you that we will roll our sleeves and fix the orientation camp to a befitting standard for your convenience,” Eno said.
He charged the corps members to use the opportunity of the one-year service to make new friends, across geo-political zones.
The governor stressed that the future of the nation depended on what they made out of the exercise.
He urged them to contribute their quota to the development of Nigeria individually and collectively, saying that the nation was looking up to them as future leaders.
“As stakeholders in Nigerian project, it is incumbent on you to continue the building process across linguistic, religious, ethnic and socio-cultural boundaries, knowing full well that Nigerians are looking up to you to give the country a substantially improved prospect and refreshing change.
“The Akwa Ibom State Government will continue to perform its task of giving each and every one of you the needed opportunities to contribute to the overall growth of our economy, ” Eno said.
Eno urged the corps members to have a healthy attitude to work and open their hearts to learning new things, embrace innovations and changes as they interact with people.
The Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Ekerete Ekanem, charged the corps members to do away with stereotyped information and preconceived notions about the state and be ready to learn.
Ekanem, represented by the Director, Youth Development, Mr Emmanuel Akpabio, reminded the corps members that the scheme was to foster national unity, cohesion and integration among Nigerians.
Earlier, the Akwa Ibom Coordinator, Mr Sam Pepple, disclosed that at the end of registration, a total of 1600 corps members were registered for the service, comprising 597 male and 1003 female.
Pepple urged the corps members to participate actively in all the activities in order to equip themselves with the basic ingredients of leadership.
“The other cardinal programmes include Primary Assignment, Community Development Service, Winding up and Passing Out and our unwritten flagship programme, the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development,” he said.
He thanked the governor for his support to the NYSC, and collaborating Agencies, Partners and Camp officials for their steadfastness and commitment.
The coordinator assured that NYSC would continue to count on the magnanimous support of the state government.
Highpoint of the ceremony was the administration of oath of allegiance on the corps members by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom, Justice Ekaete Obot, represented by Justice Uwem Ibritam. NAN
